Fourth Quarter Quell: Life Means Defeat
by adgreene
Summary: In a world where the Mockingjay Rebellion failed, a boy from District 6 is just focused on keeping himself and his morphling-addicted parents alive. But on the eve of the One-hundredth Hunger Games, expected to be the most brutal Games in the history of Panem, he is forced to make a tough choice which could affect everyone he loves.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games franchise or any characters that you recognize from the Hunger Games Series. That all belongs to the great Suzanne Collins. I am just creating more stories within her world. Any characters you don't recognize from the series are mine.

Chapter 1

I've just finished getting dressed when I hear a thud from the other room in our small house. I sigh. It's probably nothing but I should check anyway. My parents are only good at one thing and taking care of themselves is not it. When I go into the next room, I see a familiar situation. My Mum is on the sofa with her head tilted back, a needle on the seat next to her. My father is lying face down on the floor, the sound must have been him falling. I go to my Mum and shake her a bit. Her eyes flutter open and a lopsided smile appears on her lips.

"Hey mmmhoney," she slurs.

"Hi Mum. I thought we agreed no drugs today," I say although I know it's pointless. She couldn't go a day without drugs even if she wanted to.

"Sssorry," she mutters before closing her eyes again. She's very high, but she's fine. Then I go to my Dad and shake him lightly just like I did to my Mum. No response.

"Dad," I say shaking harder but still nothing. I turn him over and see he has completely passed out. His body completely limp and his face slightly blue. And then, he gurgles.

I curse under my breath. He has overdosed. On today of all days. What happens next, I hardly have to think about. Pinch nose, breathe into his mouth, listen…. yes, he's breathing. I rush to the cabinet in the bathroom and get the only thing in there. The last of the three naloxone injections that I spent twenty-four months' worth of wages to get. I prepare the injection quickly and go back to my father where he is still wheezing on the floor. I jam the needle into his thigh. It only takes a few seconds before he wakes up, raising his head with a jerk. His eyes glance around the room before landing on my face.

"Paul?"

"No Dad, its...I'm Silas."

"Oh," he says not even trying to hide the disappointment in his voice. "Sorry...you look just like him."

"Yeah," I say not knowing what else I could say.

My father tries to push himself to his feet, so I help him.

"Come on Dad, we need to go t…"

"What day is it?" he asks suddenly.

"Reaping day."

"Did we get the call?"

"Yes, we got the call. I told you."

Because our district is so big not everyone has to go to the reaping each year, otherwise we wouldn't all be able to fit in the main square. The names are actually picked before the reaping and the families of the tributes are given the call to attend along with enough families so that the square is full but not over full. Everyone else watches it on screens dotted around the district or in their homes if they have a personal TV. We don't. The past two years we weren't given the call but this year we have. I really hope it's not because I am the tribute.

My Dad seems to ponder what us getting the call could mean before tears start to drip down his face.

"I can't lose you too Silas. I can't."

I want to tell him that he already lost me. I want to tell him that as soon as he and Mum became addicted to morphling and lost their jobs forcing me to sign up for tesserae every year from twelve to sixteen until I was old enough to get a job becoming a porter, he lost me. I want to explain that me getting a job didn't even help because Mum overdosed and almost died so I bought the naloxone with money I didn't have going into debt and still having to get tesserae while working so we wouldn't starve. I want to tell him he lost me a long time ago but instead I give him my best reassuring smile and say,

"You won't Dad. What are the odds?"

He nods and sighs. "I need my syringe. Where's my syringe?"

"What...no Dad. You just overdosed. We need to go to the doctor."

"The doctor costs too much. Just give me more morphling and I will be fine."

"I can afford it. The reaping is in a couple hours, so we need to hurry." I am lying of course. I can't afford it, but I will figure it out.

Fortunately, the doctor isn't too far away if we take the road around the back of the train station. This is where most of the beggars tend to congregate. The people too young or old or sick or crippled to work but too young or old to sign up for tesserae. Most people would say it's the worst part of District 6, but I don't mind it that much. After all, I used to spend a lot of time begging and I still have some friends here. Also, it's because of this place that I met my girlfriend.

It was about three years ago. It had been a rather slow day. People weren't feeling especially generous and one man had even spat at me when I asked him for a bit of change. I was just about to leave for home when I heard a commotion to my right. Fights happened all the time behind the station so at first, I didn't pay it much attention.

That changed however, when I heard the scream of a little girl. Two beggars were trying to rip a loaf of bread from her hands. The girl struck out with her little balled fist and caught one of the beggars on the nose. The beggar growled in pain and shock before reaching out with a calloused hand and wrapping his long fingers around the girl's neck. I knew immediately, being the dashing hero I am, that I had to do something. I charged forward and with a shout, tackled the beggar to the ground. Before I could do anything else the other beggar lifted me up from behind. I was too small and weak to escape his grip. The beggar I had tackled got to his feet and cracked his knuckles.

"Run," I had screamed at the girl and she did, turning and running away.

"You made us lose our dinner," the beggar in front of me said with a snarl. The first punch to my stomach made me grunt. The second made me throw up. I hadn't eaten in two days so all that came out was a vile tasting liquid. The beggar decided to mix it up a bit and punched me in the face. I felt the tickle of blood on my skin. I probably would have gotten a lot more than three punches if it wasn't for the girl returning with two Peacekeepers in tow. I never saw those two particular beggars again.

After they were taken away, I offered to walk the girl home and she agreed. She spoke a lot, although at the time I wasn't really listening since I was sort of preoccupied with my bleeding nose. I did, however, find out her name was Neriah and that her parents used to work with mine. When we arrived at her house her parents invited me in as a thank you and allowed me to bathe and eat. That's when I met Neriah's older sister, Abigail. I would like to say something romantic like it was love at first sight, but it wasn't. When she first saw me, I was a dirty, bloody, shivering, skinny mess. I had good hair though. We became friends first and then...well, the rest is history.

My father and I arrive at the doctor. The doctor we use is a horrible, old, bespectacled man who seems to hate his job which you really don't want in a doctor, but we don't have much of a choice. There is only one other person in the waiting room. A woman who is always there with something or other. She's constantly faking illness and injury but the doctor just deals with it by giving her morphling and taking her money. It is widely known that many people get their morphling from here. The Peacekeepers overlook it because often they take it as well. People who can't afford it do "favours" for the old man.

What these favours are I choose not to think about because I am the only one who earns money in the house and I don't spend it on morphling, yet my parents always have some. I have it on good authority that he only likes women, so I know it's not my Dad doing the favours, if they are in fact getting the morphling this way. Like I said, this doctor is horrible.

I go up to the receptionist who is a nice lady.

"Hi Sharon."

"Hey Silas, how are you?"

"I'm not great to be honest but my Dad's worse. He overdosed this morning. I gave him naloxone but…"

"Say no more. Sit him down over there and the doctor will get to him in a few minutes."

My Dad half walks half stumbles over to the chair she points at.

"I have to get ready for the reaping. I'll be back to pick him up. He'll be able to watch it here right?"

"Yes of course."

"Thanks. And Sharon, please make sure. No morphling."

Sharon nods seriously.

"Thank you." I look over at my Dad, "Promise me Dad, no morphling."

My Dad sighs, "I promise."

I nod as if satisfied although I see his hands are already shaking. He is not going to keep his promise. Though who knows, I might not see him at the end of the day.

I leave the clinic and make my way back home. I need to check on Mum. When I arrive and go inside, I see her getting ready.

"Hi darling," she says when I walk in.

"Hi Mum. Are you almost ready?"

"Yes almost. I just need to make my face," she doesn't have any make up, I can't afford it but, in her state, there is no point telling her that. She will look around, probably pat her cheeks and then see a change even though there isn't one.

"Okay Mum. I'll see you after the reaping."

"Yes dear. I'll…" Something on the wall apparently catches her eye because she stops talking and starts staring intently at it. I sigh and leave. She'll manage.

Everyday it's like this. Actually, that's not true. Normally it's harder because I have to work as well but today there's only the chance of me being sent to an almost certain death. At least it breaks up the monotony of stopping my parents from dying.

I start to walk faster, eager to see her. As soon as I see her house my heart quickens and when I knock on the door and she opens I can't help but smile. I pull Abigail into a big hug and hold her for a while.

"Are you okay Silas?" she asks me, seeing that something is wrong. I pull back.

"My Dad overdosed again."

"Oh shit. You had the naloxone, right?"

"Yes, but it was the last one. If it happens again…"

"It's okay. We'll get some more. Maybe we'll even be able to wean them off it. We should try again."

Abigail is always so optimistic. Always planning for the best possible future.

"Yeah. We can try," I say although I'm not as optimistic.

"Anyway, come in. We'll leave in a couple minutes."

I follow her inside and greet her parents who are just about ready.

"Good luck today," her Mum tells me. I nod and force a smile. It seems Neriah is the only one still getting ready, so Abigail and I sit at the kitchen table to wait.

"How is she?" I ask.

"Nervous, like everyone is their first time."

Neriah just turned twelve so it is her first time being up for a reaping.

"Her name is only in there one time though," Abigail says, her voice wavering a little, "there is so little chance of her actually being picked."

"You don't really believe that, do you?" I ask. As she can tell when I am worried, I can tell when she is.

Abigail sighs, "There's no safety net. If I was still up for it and she got picked I would volunteer for her, but I can't now."

As she says this I look down.

She puts her hand on mine, "Sorry."

"No, don't worry," I clear the lump that had formed in my throat, "I understand."

"I just...I can't lose her. If something happened to Neriah I don't know how I could live on. And that's probably how your brother felt about you."

She's right. My brother gave up his own life to save mine. Before he left for the Capitol, he told me one thing. One thing that I have not been able to live up to.

"Volunteering might not be the best thing to do anyway. Even if you could."

Abigail frowns, "Si…"

"I'm serious Abi. When I gave my Dad the naloxone and he woke up. He looked straight at me and said Paul. If I had died it wouldn't have been the same. Yes, they would be sad, but I had been picked. It was chance. They would have been able to accept that. But my brother chose to die. In their mind he chose to leave them. That's what…" I take a deep shaky breath, "that's what hurts the most."

Abigail squeezes my hand tighter. Reaping day always makes me more emotional. I hate it.

"How many times is your name in?" she asks.

I do a quick calculation in my head. "Twenty-four."

Then we both sit in silence until we hear a high-pitched squeal.

"Silas!"

I turn to where the sound came from and see Neriah charging at me. She wraps her arms around my neck in a hug.

"Hey Neri. I like your dress."

"Thank you. Abigail got it for me."

I smile at Abi. "Well she always did have an eye for good clothes."

"Alright. Everyone ready?" Abigail's father asks. Everyone nods in response and we leave the house and join the crowd as the whole district makes their way to their designated watch area. I kiss Abigail and hug her parents before I take Neriah to the centre of the main square while they make their way to the outskirts. Abigail is one year older than me so for the first time since she was eleven years old, she won't be up for the reaping. Next year I will be in the same position as her. That is, if I get through this year. I look down at Neriah and feel sorry that she has to go through this five more times after today. But then again, so does everyone. I get to the eighteen-year-old section and am about to join them when Neriah pulls on my hand. She is nervous. Very. She is literally shaking from head to toe.

"Neri. You're only in there once. There is almost zero chance you will be picked."

"But what if I am?"

"You won't be."

"But what if I am," she almost shouts.

"I promise you Neriah, you have nothing to worry about. Trust me."

I pet her lightly on the head hoping my words make her feel a bit better. I mean, there is no way she will be picked right? No way. Except when I was twelve with my name in there only once, I was picked.

As I take my place, I see a few friends and give a small greeting. No one is in the mood to talk much.

I look at the temporary stage in front of the Justice Building and see the Mayor sitting down next to the District 6 escort, a middle-aged woman called Frilla with curly silver hair and although Abi has told me it doesn't match at all, bright green lipstick. There are four glass balls on the stage as well. Two of them are full of white paper slips while two of them have just one slip in each.

On either side of the glass balls stand the two District 6 previous Hunger Games victors who are still alive. On one side is Lachlan Enriquez, winner of the Eighty-second Hunger Games, the year I was born. Unsurprisingly he has a rather grim expression on his face. I would too if I was in his position. On the other side is Lemara Felton, winner of the Ninetieth Hunger Games. Her Games was the first one I ever watched. It was horrifying for me at the time. To be honest every Games has been horrifying for me. She has a confused look about her which is also unsurprising. It is well known that she is addicted to morphling. After my brother died, she would get high with my parents until I finally decided enough was enough and I told her to never come back to the house. I wonder if she is my parents' drug dealer. I would prefer her giving them drugs for free over them doing "favours" for the doctor. I probably won't get to ask her seeing as she and Lachlan are going back into the Games.

The One-hundredth Hunger Games. The Fourth Quarter Quell. Predicted to be the most brutal Hunger Games in the history of Panem. Fifty-two tributes will be picked, two males and two females from each district like the Second Quarter Quell. That's not all though. One male and one female from each district will be picked normally while the other male and female will be reaped from the existing pool of victors. Talk about a twist. As District 6 only has two victors still alive...well, the odds can't be in everyone's favour, right? The Mayor steps up to the podium. It's time. He starts the same speech he does every year. North America, storms, fires, war blah blah blah, Panem was born, the districts, the dark days, Hunger Games, the Mockingjay Rebellion was squashed, Panem thrived. We've heard it all so many times before, most people here could probably say it word for word. I don't even know why the Mayor still needs it written down in front of him. When he is done, he takes his seat and Frilla steps up.

"Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favour," she says happily. I hate her and I don't even know her.

"Let's do the victors," she says as she dips her hand in one of the glass bowls with one slip. She makes a big show of moving her hand around the almost empty bowl making herself look like an idiot before she finally picks up the slip.

"Lemara Felton," Lemara looks even more confused for a second before suddenly looking scared. She goes to stand beside Frilla.

"Now," Frilla puts her hand into the other glass bowl with only one slip and takes it out. "Lachlan Enriquez."

Lachlan's expression remains grim as he also takes his place beside Frilla.

"Alright," Frilla claps her hands, "Ladies first again."

As she makes her way over to the bowl a tense silence washes over the crowd. She takes the slip out. Abigail can't be picked and Neriah is only in once so it should all be fine.

Frilla takes a breath, "Neriah Quinn."

Well fuck me.

A scream comes from somewhere behind me and I recognize it as Abigail. Neriah slowly walks up towards the stage visibly shaking. She's like me. Me six years ago when they said my name. I was walking up slowly, hardly able to stand because my legs felt like jelly. It was like the whole world had slowed down and the path from where I was to the podium had extended so that it was impossibly long. I couldn't walk that far. I couldn't stand. I couldn't. And then I heard it. Four words coming from the mouth of my one and only brother.

"I volunteer as tribute."

The first District 6 tribute to volunteer in thirty-nine years. At first, I was relieved but that soon passed and was replaced with distress. I tried to tell him no. I tried to say I could handle myself, he had to look after our parents, he knew more people who would miss him, but he just smirked and winked.

"See you in a few weeks, Si," he said.

Except after our final goodbye in the Justice Building, I never saw him again because he got to the final two in the Games and then had his head cut off by the District 4 tribute who won.

Neriah has no one to volunteer for her. No one who could. She gets on stage and stands next to Lemara. Frilla asks for any volunteers but no one says anything.

"Very good very good. Now the boys," Frilla digs into the bowl and takes out a slip, "George Pattinson."

A tall skinny boy steps out from the fifteen-year-old section and walks cautiously towards the stage. I am more interested in Neriah, however. She isn't crying. Kudos to her for that but she can't hide the look of fear painted on her face. I told her she wouldn't be picked. I promised. I lock eyes with her. They are big and shiny and pleading. I have to turn away. I think about my parents, Abigail, her parents. Could my parents survive without me? Could I survive if I didn't do this? I hear Frilla ask the question I had been dreading.

"Any volunteers?"

My hand seems to rise by itself. What am I doing?

The words come out on their own. "I volunteer as tribute."

It's done.

Poor George almost collapses with relief and practically sprints off stage. I soon take his place. Everyone is staring at me silently, probably thinking about how stupid I am.

"What's your name dear?" Frilla asks beaming at me.

"Silas Markham."

Recognition crosses through Frilla's eyes.

"Good good. Everyone give a round of applause for your tributes. Lemara Felton, Lachlan Enriquez, Neriah Quinn and Silas Markham."

Only a few people clap. Mostly the younger kids. The older ones and the adults just stare on silently. Probably because they remember what happened six years ago and most of them probably can't understand why I would undo what my brother did for me in the final year I'm eligible for the reaping. It's too late to change it now. There's no going back. The Mayor finishes the Treaty of Treason and then motions for all of us to shake hands. When I shake Lachlan's hand, he shakes his head disapprovingly. Lemara is clearly high. As I shake Neriah's I try to give her a reassuring smile. I don't think it's very convincing.

The four of us are immediately surrounded by Peacekeepers and marched into the Justice Building. They put me into a room and leave me alone. This is the time allotted to each tribute to say goodbye to loved ones. It takes a couple of minutes but eventually my Mum and Dad come in. My Mum is still high but even in that state she understands what's going on. She immediately hugs me, crying. My Dad is shaking from withdrawal symptoms even though he has only been off morphling for a couple hours but despite that he has a grim look on his face.

"Why?" he asks gruffly.

I don't respond at first. My Mum is crying into my shoulder, so I decide to focus on her.

"It's alright Mum. It's..."

"I said why!" my Dad roars. He grabs my shoulder, the one my Mum is not crying into and squeezes.

I don't know how I manage to stay calm, but I do. I look him directly in the eyes and say,

"You don't get to ask that question."

My Mum steps back, realising the tension in the air. My Dad frowns.

"Are both the children I raised so stupid; they would volunteer to die in their last year?"

This makes me mad and this time I cannot stay calm.

"Paul saved my life," I shout jabbing a finger in his chest, "he risked his own life to save mine. And do you remember what you did. What both of you did. You lost your jobs and started taking drugs to cope while I had to do everything. The only reason we're still alive is because I got tesserae and I begged behind the train station and then I got a job. Paul sacrificed himself for my childhood...but I lost it anyway because of you."

I'm breathing heavily. Both my parents don't say anything, so I decide to have the final word.

"Goodbye," I say and then they're gone. I'm not responsible for them anymore. They will probably die without me, but it can't be helped now. Six years ago, they made their choice and today I've made mine. Next comes Neriah's parents. They come in weeping and crying and saying thank you after I tell them I will keep Neriah safe. They say they will do their best for my parents and I'm sure they will, but how much can they really do? A couple of my friends come in and say good luck and we joke around for a few minutes but then finally Abigail comes in. We hug immediately and then we kiss. A long kiss, taking our time. I make sure to savour her taste, her smell, the way she feels.

I pull back and look into her soft brown eyes. They are slightly puffy from crying.

"I love you Abi," I say, and I really mean it. There is nothing that I love more than her.

"I love you Silas. I don't want to lose you," she says as her lip trembles.

I take a shaky breath. "You will. But I will make sure you don't lose her too."

This makes her cry even more and again we embrace. That's how we stay until the Peacekeepers come in and pull her away.

"I love you," she cries out one last time and then she is gone.

**Author's note -**

**I will be posting a new chapter every Sunday. I hope you enjoyed this one and any feedback is appreciated. Thank you for reading.**


	2. Chapter 2

I am taken to a car and driven the short distance to the train station. I would have preferred to walk but I don't have much of a say in the matter. I stand at the doorway of the train with the other tributes as the many reporters take pictures and then finally the door closes and we are quickly on our way. I've been on trains countless times before as a porter but never a moving one. And now that it is moving at two hundred and fifty miles per hour, I have to admit I am not a fan. The strange sensation of me moving and staying still at the same time starts to make me feel sick so I decide to sit down as soon as possible.

I am shown to my quarters which has a bedroom, a dressing area, and a private bathroom with hot and cold running water. Frilla tells me that dinner is in four hours and then leaves me to my own devices. Since I have never actually had a shower before I eagerly get in and start the water. In District 6 hardly anyone has running water since the piping was damaged by bombs in the Mockingjay Rebellion and they were never fixed. My whole life I have bathed in buckets of heated water. When I turn the shower on it takes a while to get used to it but eventually I relax into the beautiful feeling of the hot water running down my skin. After that I get dressed in some random clothes from the overly large wardrobe, sit down on the soft bed and for the first time since the reaping, I think.

When my brother was still alive, about half a year before the reaping he took me for a climb up one of the tallest buildings in the district. We did the climb at night with only the moon and stars as light, so it was pretty dangerous, but we made it up safely and then we talked. We talked about anything and everything. I had never felt closer to anyone before and only my relationship with Abigail has come close since. He spoke first and he told me about his school, his friends, his feelings. I remember a funny story he told me of the first time he asked a girl out. He stumbled over the words and when she kindly said she would think about it he literally stumbled as he walked away from her. He said it was one of the most embarrassing things that ever happened to him made even worse because everyone in school knew he liked her, and the exchange had attracted quite a crowd. The way he opened up to me gave me the comfort I needed to truly open up to him.

I was only eleven at the time, so I wasn't exactly full of stress, but I was worried about the upcoming reaping. I just had a feeling that I would be picked. He told me about his first reaping and that the feeling was normal but then he got even more serious. He said he would never let anything happen to me and when I was eventually reaped, he stuck to his words. And despite him saving my life by giving up his I am sure he would be proud of me for volunteering to protect Neriah. That's probably one reason why I am okay with being reaped. The other reason why I am okay with what I have chosen is that my goal is not to win the Hunger Games. I know I am going to die. My goal is to make sure Neriah wins the Hunger Games and I will do whatever I need to do to make sure that happens. There is a knock at my door.

"Come in."

The door opens and Neriah slowly walks in.

"Hey," I say as I open out my arms to her. She immediately runs into them. "I'm sorry Neriah. I really thought you wouldn't be picked. I didn't...there was so little chance."

She sniffs. "Why did you volunteer? Now we're both going to die."

"No, no we are not both going to die. Maybe we can convince the Gamemakers to let us both survive like what happened in the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games."

"Really?"

"Yes."

She shakes her head. "They won't because there was a rebellion."

She's right of course. The Seventy-fourth Games was the catalyst for the Mockingjay Rebellion. Even though the rebellion was eventually crushed the Capitol won't make that mistake again.

"You're right, they won't. But like I said we are not both going to. I will die. But before I do, I will make sure you survive."

"Silas no…"

"Neriah don't argue," I say more sternly than I want to. "If you argue it will just make it more difficult than it needs to be. You need to do everything I say when I say it and hopefully, by the end, working together we will be the last two remaining tributes. I will kill myself and you will be the winner. Understand?"

Neriah nods.

"Good. Let's go watch repeats of the other reapings."

We make our way out the room to the main carriage. Every time I look out the window it makes me feel a bit sick so instead, I focus on the modern sleek interior. For some tributes they might be amazed at how spotless everything looks but I'm used to it. Neriah is not. Her eyes are wide in awe and it does make me smile slightly. Lachlan and Lemara are already in the carriage sitting on the couch in front of the TV. Frilla is sitting in one of the chairs sipping a cup of tea. She's holding the cup with her pinkie and ring finger curled below the handle like a true, weird Capitol citizen.

"Are you about to watch the other reapings?" I ask and Lachlan nods.

Neriah and I take our own seats and Lachlan turns the TV on. District 1 is obviously first. As one of the career districts along with Districts 2 and 4 where the tributes train for the Games, the tributes are normally very dangerous, and this year seems like no exception. I only know who one of the two previous victors picked is. Cienna Arellano, winner of the Ninety-eighth Hunger Games. In her Games, four of the careers survived until the end and then did a sort of mini tournament of duels to see who won.

District 2 has won the most Hunger Games of all the districts and it's not hard to see why. Their tributes stand out from even the other careers, somehow almost always being stronger and faster. I recognize their male victor tribute, Anwar Beil, because he's one of the few victors alive who won his Games from before the Mockingjay Rebellion and their female tribute, Monet Reilly, who won last year's Games. Even their normal tributes make the victors from District 3 look like weaklings.

The District 4 female victor also won her Games before the rebellion, but the male tribute didn't. He won his Games recently and it's the Games I've watched more than any other. When he comes on screen Neriah tugs on my sleeve. I just stare at the screen grimly. Lachlan looks over at me. Thinking he is going to mention Paul I quickly say something,

"You know a lot about the Games. You must have a strategy to survive," I say.

"I do but it's not going to work. Nothing will work for us," Lachlan says back.

"What do you mean us?" I ask confused.

"I mean all of us in here. District 6 tributes. We're all dead."

I feel Neriah let out a shaky breath next to me.

"She doesn't have to be," I gesture at Neriah, "She's only twelve. She deserves to live. Can you help me make sure she does?"

Lachlan laughs and even though I don't think she knows what's going on, Lemara does too.

"You're an idiot, you know that? Just like your brother was."

"Don't talk about my brother like that."

"I can talk about whoever I want how I want. He volunteered for the Hunger Games, one of the most stupid things you can do. Not only that but the boy he volunteered to save has volunteered himself. Your whole family is stupid."

He's obviously bitter but I realise it's probably not because of me volunteering.

"Look, Lachlan. I'm sorry about your daughter but that had nothing to do with me. Let's just let the past stay in the past and..."

"Let the past stay in the past?" Lachlan repeats slowly, "Ellie…my daughter was the one good thing I had. He took her away from me. Your brother took everything away from me."

"My brother died too. You think you're the only one who has lost a loved one?"

"I couldn't care less about what you've lost."

I shake my head. "You're a sad, bitter old man."

"Ouch. I'm sad, sure, bitter definitely but old? Take that back," he mocks.

"Everyone, please remember your manners. We are a team," Frilla announces.

I try my best to stay calm and continue to watch the reapings. A few tributes stand out including the legendary Haymitch Abernathy from District 12. The only victor still alive who was actively part of the Mockingjay Rebellion. Why the Capitol kept him alive I have no idea, but he is pretty old and a drunk, so unfortunately, I doubt he will be alive much longer. Also, the tributes from District 13 look strong as usual. District 13 isn't technically a career district, but they might as well be. The children are trained for the Games although it's not an honour to volunteer like in the actual career districts. They often join the career pack and every District 13 tribute, and I mean every single one, is a brilliant fighter.

District 13 had been an independent state between the time of the Dark Days and the Mockingjay Rebellion but after the rebellion was crushed when the Mockingjay was killed by her husband, they were folded back into Panem and forced to compete in the Hunger Games. Since then they have been the most successful district in the Games after District 2. Even better than 1 and 4.

"Everyone," Frilla announces once the reapings are done, "I think it is time for dinner."

We sit at the table and we eat the food. It is exquisite, easily the best food I've ever tasted but the food isn't the main thing on my mind.

"Lachlan," I say. He grunts as he tucks into the turkey on his plate. "Look, maybe we got off on the wrong foot but…"

"You're going to try to convince me to help you. The answer is no," he says simply.

I take a deep breath staying calm. "Please. Neriah is twelve. We don't have a mentor and I don't know the Games like you do. Just give me some tips. Please."

"Anything I say to help you lessens my chance of surviving."

"You're the one who said we have no chance anyway. Make up your mind will you."

"Don't try to act smart Silas. It just makes you look like even more of a fool."

I laugh sarcastically, "A grown man resorting to schoolboy insults. What a sight."

Lachlan stands up sending his chair cluttering to the ground. "You better shut the f…"

"No shouting at the table, Frilla calls out.

"Guys chill. It's all cool," Lemara says drowsily. She must have had a massive dose of morphling because she's still extremely high but soon she will be back to normal and then maybe I can get some knowledge out of her. After these two conversations I now know, Lachlan is a no go. We all eat the rest of the meal in silence and when we're finished Neriah and I go to my room. I guess she feels more comfortable staying with me. I don't mind having the company.

I sit on my bed and sigh.

"What are we going to do Silas?" she asks as she sits next to me. I think for a moment.

"Watch previous Games," I tell her, "The more we watch and analyse, the more we'll learn. We'll watch what the winners did and how they won their Games and make a plan. Most of the winners will be in our Games so we can learn about their strength and weaknesses."

"So, let's start," Neriah turns on the television and goes to the Ninety-ninth Hunger Games. Monet Reilly from District 2 won the Games when she was only thirteen years old. Most tributes are just normal teenagers, even the careers when you get down to it, but Monet was a genuine psychopath. She personally killed thirteen of the twenty-three tributes who died in her Games. Every single kill was with a knife and she laughed during all of them. As we watch I think about telling Neriah to stop watching at the most brutal parts, but I realise she is part of this now. She has to get used to it. Then we go to the Ninety-eighth Games, then the Ninety-seventh. At one point I go to ask Frilla for a pen and some paper and then I start making notes. As we continue watching a plan starts to form in my head and then we get to the Ninety-fourth Hunger Games.

"Skip," I say to Neriah.

"But the victor is in our Games. We should…"

"Skip," I repeat. She skips it and goes to the Ninety-third Games, won by a District 8 boy called Tobias Reyes. He was only twelve when he won his Games. The youngest ever. He got a crossbow from the cornucopia and sponsors gave him crossbow bolts that had different functions. Some exploded, some had wires or razor blades or acid inside. He cut through the rest of the tributes easily with them. I haven't seen such a great gift from a sponsor since. I can only hope I will be given something like that in the Games although I highly doubt it. We get to the Ninetieth Games which Lemara won and then finally to the Games I have never seen before since they were before my time. The Eighty-ninth is the first. The winner was a girl from District 3 called Ella Davenport and although she is in this year's Games so I should probably learn what I can about her my attention instead goes to the interview with the Head Gamemaker. Her name is Frilla Randone.

"Frilla was the Head Gamemaker?" Neriah says in disbelief.

"Apparently," I respond. Frilla looks almost the same except her hair is blood red there instead of the silver she has now, and her lipstick is a light yellow instead of the sickly green. Abi would probably hate that combination just as much. Frilla was the Head Gamemaker and now she's our escort. I jump to my feet.

"Where are you going?" Neriah asks.

"To speak to Frilla. I'll be back." I march through the train to Frilla's quarters and knock loudly.

"Who is it?" comes her trill voice.

"Silas."

"Oh, allow me one second please."

I wait for less than a minute before the door opens to reveal a dressed down Frilla although she still has the lipstick on. Did she have me wait so she could apply fresh lipstick?

"Hello Silas. How may I help you?"

"I wanted to speak to you about something. Can I come in?"

"Of course. Please make yourself comfortable."

Her room isn't much different to mine. Slightly bigger and a bit more colourful as it seems she decorated it a bit herself. I take a seat in an armchair while she sits on the bed and looks at me expectantly.

"I was watching past Hunger Games and I saw you were Head Gamemaker for the Eighty-ninth."

Frilla's previously pleasant facial expression immediately sours.

"I would prefer not to talk about my past thank you. If that is what you came to talk about then I must insist you leave."

"No. Please Frilla, I don't want to talk about your past, but I am asking for your help."

She had been about to get up but at this she pauses.

"You were Head Gamemaker. You don't have to tell me anything about it, but that means you must know more about the Games than anyone. I don't have a mentor and I need to make sure Neriah survives the Games, so please will you mentor us?"

Frilla sighs, "My first year as an escort was the Ninety-fourth Games. Your brother was...a wonderful man. I am truly honoured to have escorted him."

I smile. One thing my brother could always do was get people to like him. He was the friendliest person I knew. There was just something about him that made everyone comfortable.

"I will help you Silas. For Neriah. And for Paul."

I sigh in relief and take a hold of her hands. "Thank you Frilla. Thank you so much."

"You better get some sleep. You have a big day ahead of you."

I wake up the next morning after a surprisingly good sleep. I get ready quickly then make my way out for breakfast. Neriah and Frilla are both there already and Lachlan arrives about the same time as me. I give a tense "Good morning," before sitting down and tucking in. First, I have bacon, mixed vegetables and mushrooms followed by two ham and cheese sandwiches with lots of butter. I have heard about butter. This is my first time having it and the stories are true. It really does make bread better. Then I have as many pastries as I can stuff into my already full stomach and wash it all down with apple juice. Lemara arrives looking like she hasn't slept all night and after saying good morning she digs in as well. I see Lachlan staring at me and immediately I start to get angry.

"What are you looking at?" I snap.

He chuckles, "You must think you're a hero huh? Volunteering to protect her."

"Why does it matter to you?"

Lachlan scoffs and then stands up. "It doesn't. We'll all be dead soon anyway." Then he walks out.

"What's his problem?" Neriah mutters.

"I'm sorry about him." I look up at Lemara. She looks sickly pale. "He is just angry about going back into the Games and unfortunately he's taking it out on you. It's not personal."

"It is personal," I say, "We all know its personal."

"I'm sorry," she says again before also standing up and leaving even though she didn't eat anything. Just then the train goes into the tunnels that lead to the Capitol from the east. We're almost there.

"I never really liked Lachlan," Frilla says, "And this is the first time I've ever seen Lemara sober for more than two hours in a row. So sad." She shakes her head.

"Why does he not like you Silas?" Neriah asks.

"His daughter was reaped for the Ninety-fourth Hunger Games. She was my brother's district partner, but I think they didn't like each other much. As soon as the Games started, she attacked him so in self-defence he killed her. She was the first tribute to die. It seems Lachlan wants revenge but since Paul is already dead, I guess he is taking it out on me."

"But it's not your fault," Neriah says.

"I know but apparently he doesn't see it like that." I respond.

We're all silent for a while until Frilla pipes up.

"Anyway, we're going to pull into the train station soon. There will be a crowd waiting to catch a glimpse of you. Most sponsors will have their favourites already from the previous victors, so you need to make more of an effort to win them over. Look out the window, smile and wave. Make eye contact if you can with a few and you Silas, make sure you give a wink. You're good looking, make those hearts flutter."

I don't really feel comfortable using manipulation like that, but I realise I have to do whatever I can to raise my, and therefore Neriah's chances. I nod.

"After that you will be taken by your prep teams. Let me just tell you that tributes who resist are hurt more in the end. No matter what they do to you, relax, smile and win them over if you can. They will do better work if they like you."

I nod again and so does Neriah.

"Good."

Light floods back into the carriage as we exit the tunnels. Frilla nods her head towards the window so we do as we were told and start to wave at the colourful Capitol citizens. I catch a few eyes and wink as sexily as I can, but the train has moved on before I can see the reactions. I just hope I caught the eye of a sponsor although I realise the odds are low. The train stops. We have finally arrived in the Capitol.


	3. Chapter 3

I am taken to the Remake Centre where my prep team cleans me up to Capitol standards. Like Frilla told me, I smile and try my best to relax although it's pretty hard, especially when they're lasering my hair. They tell me my hair won't grow for about a month. If I even survive that long. Finally it's done, and I am left naked in a room alone for a while until a plump strange looking woman comes in. It's like there is light underneath her skin making it have an unnatural florescent glow. It makes my skin crawl.

"Hi," I say with a smile.

"Shut up and stay still," she barks. It's so sudden that I immediately freeze allowing her to walk circles around me. Every now and then she makes a guttural grunt although I can't figure out whether they're positive or negative.

"Put your robe on. Follow me," she says. I take the robe, follow her into the next room and we both sit at a table. She presses a button causing the table to open up and from below comes a meal of chicken, rice, bread, broccoli and a lot more brilliant looking food.

"Eat quickly boy. We have work to do," she says.

"Don't speak to me like that."

"Shut up." The woman eats quite messily compared to Frilla. I sigh and decide the food is more important than arguing right now. Neither of us say anything until we've finished eating.

"My name is Korietta and I am the best stylist in the whole of Panem. You are lucky to have me."

"Don't the best stylists work with District 1," I say. It's true. Normally new stylists will work for District 13 and then the better they do the more they get promoted to the higher districts until they get the job of District 1 stylist.

"You know nothing," Korietta snarls, "Anyway, I will make sure you are the centre of attention for the chariot ride. You should be honoured."

"I'm not," I mutter.

A short while later I am impressed with what I am wearing despite myself. The tributes are normally dressed in something connected to what their district produces. The most famous being in the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games when the Mockingjay and her future husband/murderer were literally on fire because District 12 mines coal and coal burns. Nothing before or since has lived up to that amazing outfit but what I'm wearing sure does come close.

District 6 deals with transport. We have the biggest transport hub in the country which is why I am able to work as a porter. My suit shimmers and shows a different image of a train depending on what angle you look at it from. As I will be riding past people, they will see me at changing angles from right to left and it will look like a train is moving in my suit. It's amazing. I don't tell Korietta this though. She looks satisfied enough without me adding to her ego. Neriah is different, however. She gushes to her stylist about how much she loves it. All four of us are in the same costume. I sort of wish Lachlan and Lemara were wearing something different so I didn't have to be linked to them but they are from my district so there is nothing to be done.

As we are waiting for the ride where we will be taken on a horse drawn chariot through the city to a square where the President will make a speech so the Capitol citizens can get a good look at us, I notice that many of the previous victors are standing in groups chatting to each other. Of course, they know each other. It makes a large contrast though, when compared to the normal tributes who are all standing alone or in twos not saying anything. Most of them are glancing around nervously while a couple are trying to look confident.

I smile at Neriah who is looking a little less excited now and a bit more nervous.

"You okay?"

"Yes...just...what if they don't like me?"

"They will," someone says from behind me. I turn towards the person who spoke and see the one person I really didn't want to talk to. Its Zaydan Day, winner of the Ninety-fourth Hunger Games. The boy who killed my brother.

Paul definitely had the odds in his favour when he went into the Games. He got a score of ten after the private training session and his interview was amazing as he spoke about volunteering to protect me. The arena was an old town full of crumbling buildings and many places to hide. Paul went straight into the cornucopia killing Lachlan's daughter and one other tribute before grabbing a few weapons and running off so the careers couldn't get him. He mostly hid in an apartment building as the careers tried to hunt him down. He got a lot of food and water from sponsors as he was well liked and there was nothing to eat or drink in the actual arena.

When there were nine tributes left there was an earthquake that destroyed every single building in the arena. Paul managed to get out of the building he was in just in time, but he was injured. He came across two other tributes and they started a three-way fight which he won. Meanwhile Zaydan had betrayed his career alliance by slitting all their throats as they were sleeping. Only the District 13 girl who had been part of the alliance escaped, as she had been woken by the sound of the cannon of the first person he had secretly killed and had reacted quicker than the others in the alliance. She was later killed by rat-like mutts.

That left Zaydan and Paul.

Paul had a spear and Zaydan had a sword. They met in a circular space mostly clear from rubble. Then they fought. I remember watching the fight with tears streaming down my face unable to stay still. Paul was so close. He just had to kill one more person and then he was coming home. When Zaydan sliced Paul's left leg I started to lose hope, but it was quickly regained however when Paul knocked the sword out of Zaydan's hands. I had smiled at that point. Paul had a spear and Zaydan was unarmed. He had done it. My brother was coming home. As Paul stepped forward his injured leg faltered. This gave Zaydan the chance to pick up a brick and smash it into Paul's head. I watched my brother fall to the ground and then have his head hacked off after Zaydan picked up his sword. As the cannon sounded, I had thrown up and then passed out. When I woke a few hours later I had to accept, that was it. My brother was gone.

As I remember this, I look into Zaydan's eyes and decide I am going to be the one to kill him in the arena.

"Hi Silas," he says, "I know you probably don't want to speak to me, but I have to get this off my chest. I'm sorry about Paul. I didn't want to kill him, I didn't want to kill anyone, but it was the Games. It was my life or his. He was a great competitor and a great person. I wish I could have known him better. It seems though that you are very similar to him."

I don't say anything, so he keeps talking.

"He was brave for volunteering and so are you. I just...I'm sorry. I hope we don't meet in the arena." He turns to walk away but I stop him. He looks back at me.

"All these years I hated you. I was twelve when I watched you kill my brother and I don't know if I will ever get over that but...thank you."

He nods with an understanding look and then makes his way back to his chariot. Neriah takes my hand and squeezes. I squeeze back but I don't dare look at her. I'm just trying not to cry. Maybe I won't be trying to kill Zaydan after all. I have to remind myself that all the tributes here, even the careers and previous victors are victims. None of them deserve this. It's unfortunate but they are all going to have to die if Neriah is to live. Including me. The Panem anthem suddenly starts playing and the District 1 chariot rides out to thunderous applause. The sound is like a wave that hits me hard. I've never heard anything so loud in my life.

"Show them how protective you are of Neriah," Frilla shouts into my ear before telling Neriah something. We get in the chariot next to Lemara and Lachlan who gives me the stink eye. I make sure I am next to Neriah and as we ride out, I put a protective arm around her shoulders. Even though Frilla told me to do it, it doesn't feel forced at all. Then we're out in front of the crowd. Rows and rows of people dressed in the strangest outfits imaginable. I try my best to look protective while Neriah smiles sweetly and waves at the crowd. I guess I'm going for stoic protector while she is going to be the lovable one. Lemara and Lachlan both stand up tall and have a look of disinterest on their faces. I briefly wonder what their strategy will be but then my focus is back on Neriah who is somehow now holding a rose and waving it in the air.

President Crippen starts to speak welcoming everyone to the Quarter Quell. Crippen has a round bead-like head with big round glasses and a bushy moustache. He is starting to bald and for some reason he isn't using a wig or anything to cover it up. I wonder if it's a choice. After his speech the chariots do a lap of the main square and then we go back into the tunnel we came out of.

"Good job," Frilla says with a smile, "I didn't give much direction, but you did everything perfectly."

"Thank you. It was actually pretty fun," Neriah says. I pat her on the shoulder then look around. Lachlan and Lemara are talking to the victor tributes from District 11, Bakram and Alanna. They glance at me and then lower their voices, not that I could hear what they were saying before. Frilla seems to notice them as well.

"Let's go shall we."

We make our way to the elevator. The training centre has many floors with each district getting their own floor corresponding to their district number. Just as Frilla is about to press the button with six someone else zips into the elevator and presses the twelfth button.

"Don't mind me," he says, and I realise I am standing next to Haymitch Abernathy. Haymitch is somewhat of a legend across Panem. He won the fiftieth Hunger Games where there were double the amount of tributes as normal although still less than this year because at the time District 13 weren't competing in the Games. He then mentored the double winners in the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games, helped orchestrate the breakout from the Seventy-fifth Hunger Games and was a big part in the Mockingjay Rebellion. The rebels almost won as well. Maybe in an alternate universe they did. In this one though, when they saved Peeta Mellark from the Capitol they didn't realise how dangerous he was. As soon as he saw the Mockingjay, he attacked her and broke her neck.

As the news spread through the rebels that Katniss Everdeen, the girl on fire had been killed by her own husband who had apparently taken the side of the Capitol they quickly lost all motivation to fight. The leaders of the rebellion tried to say that the Capitol had tortured Peeta and turned him into a mutt, but it was too little too late. The Capitol took over District 2 first and then the rest followed until only District 13 was left. Even they, with their large underground city, couldn't hold the Capitol forces off for long and they surrendered. I guess Haymitch went back to live in District 12 after that, somehow not being arrested and put to death. Maybe they wanted to make sure he would be alive for this year's Games.

"I hate this bullshit," Haymitch says as he takes a bottle of a clear liquid from somewhere on his person and chugs it down like its water. He turns to me.

"Vodka?"

"No thanks."

He looks at Frilla and then Neriah who both shake their heads and then he shrugs.

"Suit yourself." He continues to drink. "I for one am going to be living the high life before I die." His voice is dripping with sarcasm. We reach our floor and before I leave, I look at Haymitch.

"Nice to meet you Haymitch. I'm a...er...big fan of what you did. You know, back in the day." I don't want to mention the rebellion but I'm sure he knows what I am talking about it.

Haymitch smirks although he is looking at his bottle so I'm not sure if it's in response to me. Then the elevator door closes. Our floor is huge with a massive dining room, and an even bigger sitting room.

"Alright. Go to your rooms and get ready for dinner. You guys did well. I have already had some potential sponsors talking to me about you and since you don't have a mentor, I will have to be the one closing the deal with them. Them approaching me makes it a lot easier."

"Good," I say and Neriah claps softly. I am led to my room by a servant who I learn is called an Avox. They can't talk but will do whatever I tell them to do. It doesn't sit well with me because I am almost a hundred percent sure they don't get paid. And why can none of them talk? Not even one. I shower and put on clothes and then go to dinner. I am the last to arrive which is strange. Even Lemara is there before me. We are also joined by everyone's stylist. Unfortunately, the only seat left is next to Korietta although Neriah will also be next to me and Frilla opposite me. Avoxes start bringing in food. It is wonderful and I focus on eating while the stylists, Frilla and sometimes Lemara make polite conversation.

"So Frilla," Lachlan suddenly says, "You're helping these two?" He jerks his head towards me and Neriah.

"Yes. I am filling in as their mentor," Frilla responds calmly.

Lachlan scoffs, "Mentoring them to their death."

"Is making snide comments all you're good at Lachlan?" I growl.

"Hurt your feelings have I, Silas?" Lachlan says with a snarl.

There is so much I want to say in that moment but instead I shake my head.

"It's not smart to make an enemy of me," I say.

"What are you going to do? Kill me in the Games? I'd like to see you try."

"There won't be no "try" about it."

We lock eyes and glare at each other until Frilla clears her throat. "Save the fight for the arena. Hmm? Boys?"

Lachlan stands up and walks away.

"Why can't he just keep his thoughts to himself," I mutter once he is gone.

"He's not that type of person." Lemara sighs. "Since Lachlan came off morphling he has been having some issues. He didn't used to be like this," she says sadly.

"Lachlan used to take morphling?" I ask and Lemara nods.

"His daughter's death hit him hard. He started taking it to cope but he stopped around three years ago and since then he has had serious anger management problems."

"Maybe the many years of drug taking affected his brain," Frilla suggests.

"Lachlan is fine. He is a good person and a good friend," Korietta pipes up. I greatly disagree with her, but I decide not to say anything. Instead I notice that Lemara is shaking.

"Why do you take morphling Lemara?"

"Same reason why your parents take it. Same reason why Lachlan used to take it and same reason Lachlan gave it to me in the first place. To forget."

"Are you the one who gives my parents morphling all the time?" I ask, not sure if I want to hear the answer.

"Me? No. I only buy enough for myself."

"Oh," I say because that must mean my parents are doing "favours" for the doctor. It makes me sick just thinking about it. Maybe I did want Lemara to say yes after all.

After dinner we all go our separate ways. I am about to go to my room when I see Neriah sitting in front of a window looking out at the sunset.

"May I join you Miss Quinn?" I ask in a fake Capitol accent. Neriah giggles.

"Of course, Mr Markham," she replies in a, I got to say, much better Capitol accent than mine. I take a seat next to her and look out at the final remnants of orange sunlight spreading across the city below.

"It's beautiful," she breathes, "I've seen the Capitol on TV, but I never imagined it would be like this."

"Yeah," is all I say because I don't really want to talk about the place I hate most in a positive light.

"Who knows how many more sunsets we will be able to see."

"You'll have many more," I say quickly.

Neriah looks at me with watery eyes. "You don't know that. The odds of me surviving, even with you protecting me, are low. There are double the amount of tributes, double the number of careers and half the tributes have already won a Games. I... we both…"

"Don't talk like that Neriah. First, we have to win in our minds. Then we have to make a plan and then we have to execute it. Odds have nothing to do with it."

"Actually, they do."

We both turn to see Frilla already in her sleeping gown holding a cup of tea. "Odds have a lot to do with winning the Games."

"I refuse to believe that the person who survives the Games is the luckiest," I say.

Frilla shrugs. "Who said anything about luck." This piques both my and Neriah's interest and we both turn away from the window to face our escort who takes a seat on the sofa.

"Explain," I demand almost desperately.

"The phrase we say, "May the odds be ever in your favour." It's not just a throwaway line."

"Isn't it just the Capitol's way of saying good luck?" Neriah asks.

"Like I said, odds have nothing to do with luck. They are all about maths."

"Maths?" I exclaim

"Maths?" Neriah exclaims even louder than me.

"Maths," Frilla says firmly. "This phrase tells you how to survive. You can control, to an extent, whether the odds are in your favour. The Gamemakers make it so. Everything I've told you to do I did with the intention of putting the odds in your favour, but I've been waiting for the perfect time to tell you this and now is the time."

"Alright," I say. "Before you had my curiosity. Now you have my attention."

"Well, of course the odds in this Games are lower than normal Games but still its equal for every tribute. You both would have a one out of fifty-two chance of winning if you were fighting for yourselves but since you, Silas, will be helping Neriah and if it's just you two at the end you will sacrifice yourself for her, Neriah, you have a slightly higher base chance of winning than everyone else."

"That can't be right. That would mean everyone has an equal chance, even the careers and the twelve-year olds."

Frilla nods. "I used to be Gamemaker and I've looked at the statistics. Your chance of winning is statistically equal no matter your age, race, gender, district or whether you are a career or not. Starting characteristics have nothing to do with it."

"So, the careers just waste their whole lives training?" Neriah says.

"Well, not exactly but I will get to that. What changes is your strategy depending on the characteristics you have. A career should have a very different strategy to a random twelve-year-old from 6. For you two specifically the first thing is to eat a lot to put on as much weight as possible. Both of you have been doing that anyway so I didn't say anything. Most tributes will be doing that although the careers tend to be muscular, so they struggle when they don't have much food in the arena."

"Being a career seems like it's a disadvantage," I say.

"I'll get to that," Frilla tells us before continuing. "Tomorrow you start training. I want both of you to learn as many edible plants and insects as possible while also learning how to start a fire. Camouflage is good if you have experience already but at least practice climbing."

"Exciting," I mutter.

"Don't worry it gets better. You need to know how to fight and you need something to fight with. Blades. Knives and swords. They are almost always in the Games and knives are easy to learn how to use. Both of you need to learn how to throw knives and I'm sure both of you can stab at stuff already."

"I can stab at stuff," Neriah says making me chuckle.

"Throwing knives are the most useful though, so you can keep your distance. Also, stay away from anything that builds muscle like weights or axes. More muscle means faster metabolism. Aka, you'll be like the careers."

"I must admit I am starting to like these odds."

"Everything will be for nought however if you get killed in the first minute of the Games. That's where the strategy comes in."

"So, stay away from the cornucopia," I say.

"Grab something on the outskirts if you can then high tail it out of there. The careers have a huge advantage at the beginning as they are trained to fight and are full of adrenaline and food. If a tribute comes close to you then run. It's better than fighting straight away. Especially this Games since there will be so many tributes."

"So, we've put on weight, we know all our survival skills, can throw knives and we have a backpack from the outskirts of the cornucopia. What then?" I say eager to get all the information possible. Neriah walks off and a few seconds later comes back with a pen and paper to make notes. I give her a nod before transferring my attention back to Frilla.

"Well you will have about three days until you die from dehydration so everything else can wait. You must find water. That's the problem though. I was Head Gamemaker for four years and every single year I did something with the water. First year I made it poisonous, second year I didn't have any, so it had to be given by sponsors, third year I put muttations inside and my last year I made it, so it had to be retrieved from muttated plants. Odds are, the Gamemakers this year will do something similar, either using water as a weapon against tributes or making it difficult to get. You need to figure out whatever the issue is as soon as possible. If you find water, you must test it slowly to avoid getting poisoned. Now comes alliances."

"This will be interesting."

"In a normal Games I would say you should go solo, but this Games is not like a normal Games. You two must of course stick together but the thing is half the tributes are previous victors and know each other. They will form groups and hunt down the normal tributes first, so it is essential you make an alliance with a previous victor. They will protect you, hopefully, until at least half the tributes are gone."

"How many people should we have in our alliance?" Neriah asks.

"One is enough as long as it is a well-liked previous victor, but they might want more in the alliance. Try to make sure it's no more than two others so you are not outnumbered. Once the amount of tributes left alive gets to double the number in your alliance you break away from your alliance. Don't kill them sneakily because it will make the sponsors go against you. Also play as defensively as possible. Kill if you have to but its best to lay low and wait out the Games."

"So, you mention sponsors, but don't they have more to do with it?" I ask.

Frilla smiles. "Both of you are smarter than you look. The Hunger Games is a TV show. The public love a good story and the Gamemakers make sure they get one. So, if a particular tribute increases ratings…"

"Then the Gamemakers will keep them alive," I conclude and Frilla nods.

"Exactly. Careers have an advantage here because everyone expects them to win so for sponsors it is less likely that they will be wasting their money if they sponsor a career tribute. The waving at the station and the acting during the chariot rides were part of the story we're creating about you two. It really started though, when your brother, Silas, volunteered for you. He saved you and then came so close to winning. Then you volunteered to protect Neriah bringing it full circle. Trust me when I say the show has been spotlighting you and Zaydan more than any other tributes. Focussing on your rivalry. During the next few days in training and in your private session you need to stand out so that you are given a high score making you more memorable for the audience. We'll talk about your interviews more the day before but essentially you will need to portray your story in the most sympathetic but clear way possible. Everything I told you before like avoiding the cornucopia and not being aggressive will keep in line with you being the underdog. Then you leave your alliance without killing them because no one likes a traitor. You will survive because the audience wanted you to win and if the audience want you to win the Gamemakers will make sure you survive."

Frilla then finishes her tea. "Goodnight." She gets up and walks out leaving me and Neriah to gawk at each other.

"We have an exact game plan," she says holding up the paper she has been writing on.

"Y... yes," I say. I am amazed because for the first time since I volunteered for this Games, despite what I've been telling everyone, I actually believe we can do this. Neriah is going to win.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**

**Hi everyone, I hope you are enjoying the story so far. Just a quick note. I have changed the title of this story from "Hunger Games: Fourth Quarter Quell" to "Fourth Quarter Quell: Life Means Defeat" because I thought the original title was a bit boring. Hopefully this new one is better. The story itself is still the same, just the title has changed. **

**Thank you for reading and please leave a review with your feedback. I like to know what my readers are thinking. Especially if you have theories about where the story will go. I always find that interesting. Alright. Adgreene out.**

The next morning, Lachlan and Lemara are not at breakfast making it much more relaxing. Today is the first of three training days. This will be our chance to not only work on our survival and blade skills like Frilla told us but also to make alliances. In the afternoon of the third day will be our private session and after that the Gamemakers will assign us a score between one and twelve with twelve being the highest and only ever being given to two tributes: both from District 12 in the seventy-fifth Hunger Games. The legendary Mockingjay and her husband.

After breakfast we take the elevator down to the underground gymnasium. Frilla tells us that sometimes escorts take the tributes down but this year it is important to show strength, so we go down alone. When we arrive, I am amazed at how big it is, but it shouldn't really be a surprise. It has to cater for fifty-two tributes after all. What does surprise me however is that even though it is a minute before ten o clock which is when we're meant to start, not all of the tributes are here. From what I can see all the normal tributes are here but less than half of the victor tributes have decided to attend. The head trainer, seemingly unbothered by the lack of attendance starts explaining all the different training stations.

There's fire starting, edible plants and insects, fishhook making, hand to hand combat, an obstacle course and much much more. Of course, we already know which stations we will be heading to first. There will be instructors at each station and at the combat stations there will be assistants for sparring as fighting between tributes is strictly forbidden before the arena. They only want us to kill each other on camera. Wouldn't want the whole rest of Panem to miss it. After that we are unleashed onto any station we want. Neriah and I go to the edible plants and insects station first. I struggle with remembering all the names but Neriah finds it pretty easy.

"Let's go to the fire starting." Neriah says and I nod in agreement. There is already a tribute there, one of the younger ones although I can't remember what district she is from. She looks twelve or thirteen. We take our positions next to her and after the instructor does his job by giving us instructions we start and soon fail at creating a fire.

"Um...excuse me." I look up to see the girl who had been there before us.

"Hi," Neriah says.

"I um...can show you."

"Yes please." Neriah moves a bit back allowing the girl to work. Within a few seconds, she has a small fire going. I am impressed.

"Woah. That's amazing," Neriah exclaims.

"You try now," the girl says with a smile. Neriah and I both copy her technique and eventually we start our own fires.

"Thank you," I say to the girl and she blushes.

"You're welcome. I saw how you volunteered. It was very brave."

"Yes, it was," Neriah pipes up, "he did it to protect me."

The girl looks down sadly. "I wish I had someone to protect me."

My first thought is that I will protect her, but my second thought is that this little girl will have to die if Neriah is to live.

"What's your name?" Neriah asks although I wish she didn't. I don't want to get to know this girl because she is too young to be a good ally and not a previous victor.

"Bethany. I'm from District 5."

"I'm Neriah and this is Silas. Nice to meet you."

"If you want, I can show you how to tie knots. My Dad used to teach me survival skills. I know a lot."

Neriah looks at me pleadingly. It seems she's about to make a friend. I decide I should at least let her have a bit of fun.

"As long as you're actually learning."

"I will, I promise."

"Alright. I'll be at the throwing knives station."

Neriah and Bethany run off. I start to make my way to the knives but what I see there makes me stop. Monet, the winner from last year is talking to the male normal tribute from her district. The conversation doesn't look pleasant however as the male is jabbing a finger at her and whispering something in a very aggressive manner. It happens so quickly it takes me a few seconds to process. Monet swings her arm with incredible speed and the male tribute falls to the ground with a scream. Blood drips from his face and from the knife in Monet's hand. She smiles a creepy smile and then turns and throws the knife hitting the target dead centre. A couple of the instructors rush towards the male tribute but he angrily waves them away, gets to his feet and then stalks off clutching the wide gash going diagonally across his face. No one dares approach Monet, not even the instructors.

No one except for me.

I take my place next to her and pick up one of the knives. I speak to the instructor for a while who is clearly in a bit of shock about what happened, but he manages to explain how to throw a knife clearly enough. Then I start practicing. After a few minutes I hit the target for the first time although I notice Monet is getting a bullseye every single time.

"Monet, right? You have got to tell me how you are doing that."

She looks at me and smiles. "Talk to me again and I will slit your throat," she says in a sing song voice.

I don't really know what I was expecting but I guess making an alliance won't be a cakewalk. At lunch all the tributes eat in the same dining room attached to the gym. I find myself sitting with Neriah and Bethany who seem to have become the best of friends in the short time they've known each other. Maybe it was a mistake to let them go off on their own. It's too late now. I'm not mean enough to forbid Neriah from making friends and she's not stupid. She knows that only one person can survive. As I eat, I watch and realise that all the tributes are now here, and alliances are forming already.

There seem to be two career groups this year. One with the previous victor careers, and one with the normal tribute careers. Monet, unsurprisingly, is eating alone. Then there seems to be the alliance of older previous victors with Haymitch and the other victors who won their Games before the rebellion. Most of the other normal tributes are sitting alone and the other victor tributes are sitting in twos or threes although I am not sure if these will be the alliances in the arena.

After lunch I continue with knives, this time with Neriah and then we go through a few more survival stations. Near the end of the day I pass by the crossbow station and see Tobias from District 8 hitting the bullseye every time. He is the youngest ever victor so I figure his expertise will help Neriah.

"Not bad," I say walking up to him

"Not bad? You could do better?"

"I can give it a go," I take the crossbow from him and aim at the target. I don't know how but the bolt hits dead centre. We both stare in disbelief.

"Pfft. Beginners luck," Tobias says.

"You're probably right," I say handing him back the crossbow.

He reloads and aims at the target. "So, what does the star of this year's Hunger Games want with me." He shoots and hits the target right next to where I did.

"Me?" I say, "star?"

He turns to look at me. "From what I understand, you are being shown more than any other tribute. You, that girl and Zaydan." He nods his head at Neriah who is chatting excitedly with Bethany. "What's the story there?"

"She's the little sister of my girlfriend."

"Why didn't your girlfriend volunteer for her?"

"She's too old. Nineteen. I volunteered so Neriah can go home."

Tobias looks at me and frowns. "You would give up your life for her."

I nod. "But the two of us…"

"Three of us," Neriah says loudly as she and Bethany approach us, "Bethany is joining our alliance."

I think about saying no but instead I shrug and turn back to Tobias. "We need a previous victor with us. You know the Games so you will be in charge. Please, join us."

"You want me to join an alliance of you and two twelve-year olds?"

"Well...yeah."

"I'm in."

I pump my fist. "Thank you I…"

"On one condition. Tonisha comes with us." At my questioning look he explains. "She's from my district and won the Seventy-eighth Games. I'm sticking with her so she's part of the alliance as well."

I hesitate for a second. Frilla told us to only have a maximum of two others in our alliance. Although, and I hate to think it, but Bethany would not be dangerous in a fight.

"Agreed," I say, and we shake hands.

The next couple of days are filled with survival and knife training. I excel at the knives while Neriah with lots of private tutoring from Bethany, excels at survival skills. They will both be very useful in the arena. Tobias has an unparalleled skill with a crossbow and is actually a pretty cool guy and Tonisha is the smartest person I have ever met, often talking about politics and other things I couldn't hope to understand. We are a pretty good team if I do say so myself.

At one-point Zaydan gives me a sword lesson and I find that I am also quite good at that. When I ask what I can do to repay him he smiles and says just don't use a sword to kill him in the arena. I don't laugh. During the days I hardly see Lachlan and Lemara as they have decided to eat at different times and when they do come down for training, they stay away from us. They seem to be sticking together but not forming an alliance with any other tributes.

Eventually it is time for the private session. Neriah is going to show off her survival skills knowledge and I will throw some knives and then swing a sword around. As we wait, I start to feel a bit nervous.

"What if I don't do well?" Neriah asks softly.

"It's okay. Even if we get low scores our interviews will help us get sponsors," I say, and I sort of believe it. Eventually it is my turn. Neriah tells me good luck and I say thanks. Tobias gives me a salute and I nod back. Then I walk in. The Gamemakers are all watching me intently as I head over to the knife section. I pick up three knives and throw them all in quick succession. They all hit the target but only one hits the bullseye. The more I'm thinking about this the more I realise this won't be enough. It's too simple, too normal. What else can I do though? I go over to the sword and swing at the dummies until I am dismissed, utterly disappointed with myself but realising that there is nothing else I know how to do.

"How did it go?" Frilla asks me once I get back to our floor.

"I threw some knives and swung a sword around, but I don't think it was very impressive."

She shrugs. "We'll see."

Once everyone has finished with their private sessions, we all sit down to watch as they release the scores. This is the first time I've been with Lemara and Lachlan since the dinner the first night but seeing that all our stylists along with Frilla are with us there probably won't be any problems. I glance at Korietta and she looks back with contempt. Over the last few days I have been getting the distinct impression that Korietta would much rather be working with Lachlan than with me. The show starts with District 1. All of them get extremely high scores as expected. Then District 2. Monet gets an astonishing eleven.

"She probably killed someone," I mutter and add a "I'm joking," when I feel many sets of eyes turn towards me.

"Not funny" Neriah's stylist comments although Lachlan does snort. I'm not surprised he has a dark sense of humour. Zaydan gets a ten which is good, he probably showed of his sword skills. It moves on to District 5 where Bethany gets a five and then finally its District 6. Lachlan gets a seven which is solid and then my picture flashes onto the screen. Eight. Not too bad at all. At least I beat Lachlan. I receive a few congratulations, but everyone then focuses back to the screen.

Lemara gets a five and Neriah gets a six. I pat her on the head, and she smiles happily. Tobias gets a ten and Tonisha a seven. Haymitch only gets a three. It's strange that he gets such a bad score when he was the mentor of the only tributes in history to get twelves. Surely if anyone knew how to get a twelve it would be him. Maybe he was more interested with getting drunk. The District 13 tributes get high scores as well. That night I go to bed early and actually fall asleep quickly. I don't know how long I am sleeping for when a knock on my door wakes me up. It's still dark so it's not yet morning.

"Who is it?" I ask groggily.

"Neriah," comes a small voice.

"Come in," I say. Neriah comes in holding her cover around her.

"I'm having nightmares," she says, her voice shaking. Abigail once told me that Neriah suffers from bad nightmares and often needs someone to sleep with her, so she feels safe. I guess now that job falls to me.

"Do you want to stay here?" I ask. Neriah nods and gets into the bed with me. I fall asleep very quickly and I think she does too.

The next day is the training for our interviews. Frilla sends an Avox to wake us up and after breakfast we find ourselves having mock interviews with her.

"Silas we're going for stoic, but you need to slowly let them in. As if you're trying to hide your emotions but they're just so overpowering."

Neriah gets to pretty much be herself as she's pretty lovable already. Most of the important stuff will fall on me. I need to get everyone in the Capitol completely invested in my mission to protect the "lovable" little girl.

"I'm not so good at this acting thing," I say.

"You can do it Silas. I believe in you," Neriah says.

I can't help but smile. "Thanks, Neriah."

"That!" Frilla practically shouts. "You don't have to act because you already do what I'm telling you to do. That smile was reluctant, but it was as if you couldn't help yourself. That's what we need in the interview. You just have to tap into the emotions that are already inside and express it as a slightly more dramatic version of yourself. This is a TV show. The Gamemakers will spotlight the tributes with the best stories and best TV personalities."

"Why did you stop being a Gamemaker Frilla?" Neriah suddenly asks.

Frilla frowns. "I…" Then she sighs. "I couldn't be responsible for killing kids. Not anymore."

"You're the one who took the job in the first place," I say a bit harsher than I wanted to.

"I know. When I was younger, I was enthralled by the Hunger Games. I loved everything about it, the build-up, the tributes, the stories, the deaths. I made it my life's goal to be Head Gamemaker and I got there. I was the youngest Head Gamemaker ever. But when you are on the inside it's different. I saw more of how the tributes lived in the districts. I saw more of how vulnerable each tribute was and that they weren't who they pretended to be when on camera. Each death became more personal until I couldn't handle it. I was diagnosed with depression, I quit, and I did nothing for years. But then I realised I could help tributes. By becoming an escort, I could at least help get sponsors and advise the tributes. So, I did, and Paul almost won the first year I was escort. But then it got worse and worse as the tributes died every time. This year was going to be my last year but you two...you've reinvigorated me. I think I am going to help tributes for as long as I'm alive."

I put a hand on Frilla's shoulder. "Thank you Frilla. For everything."

Frilla wipes a tear from her eye. "Right, let's continue. Again."

We spend the rest of the day and the next morning practicing. When it is finally time for Korietta to dress me, I am actually pretty confident this interview will go well. The only thing is, it's not Korietta who dresses me. Its Sussal, Lachlan's stylist.

"Where's Korietta?"

"We switched. She prefers to work with Lachlan, and I prefer to work with you," she says.

"Is that allowed."

She leans in so close I can smell her perfume.

"We don't need to tell anyone. What happens in the styling room stays in the styling room," she whispers into my ear running a hand down my naked stomach. I take a massive step back.

"Cool. Let's hurry it up shall we," I say quickly. Overall, Sussal is a lot more pleasant than Korietta. If it weren't for her blatantly trying to seduce me, I might have enjoyed talking to her. When we're done, I join the line of tributes waiting to go up on stage. The suit I'm wearing is a dark blue and although I admit it is very nice it's not the most comfortable thing in the world to wear. Neriah has a cute little dress on going with the lovable person she's meant to be portraying. I notice that the District 2 tribute who Monet cut is hardly wearing anything. I would hate to be him, showing my bare butt to the whole Capitol. When he does go on stage the crowd seems to love him though. In fact, they seem to be very easily impressed, raving about tributes whose interviews I think are average at best.

The host is called Augustus Templeton, a loud, extroverted man. Every time he talks it's more like a joyous shout. That will get old real quick, I think. Zaydan mentions me in his interview playing up the rivalry between us. I know it's just an act, but I can't stop myself from feeling a bit angry. When he finishes, he gives me a smile though and I feel better. Just an act. It's a TV show. Lemara's interview is okay. She seems to have gotten over her withdrawal symptoms quickly. Either that or she found a way to get her hands on some morphling which I doubt.

Then it's Neriah's turn.

She beams at the crowd when she first goes on eliciting a chorus of "awws". She speaks about Abi and her parents and about how I volunteered to protect her. By the time her three minutes are up she has definitely won over everyone including Augustus who makes a big deal about him wanting to talk to her more. Then it's my turn.

The applause is thunderous when I get on stage, but I just focus on shaking Augustus's hand and sitting down without falling over.

"Great, great, there is so much to discuss but first of all, Silas. I can see why you want to protect young Neriah hmm?"

"She is lovable, isn't she?" I say. There are murmurs of agreement from the crowd.

"Yes, she certainly is. But there is more to it than that, hmm?"

"Yes well. Her older sister, Abigail. She is my girlfriend."

There are bunch of "oooo's" from the crowd and Augustus laughs.

"Sorry ladies. Silas is taken."

Someone shouts "Dang" from one of the front rows and everyone laughs. I crack a smile, trying my best not to join in the laughter. That's what I'm going for right. Withholding my emotions just enough.

"So, you are willing to sacrifice yourself, so your girlfriend keeps her dear sister?"

I nod. "Abi was too old to volunteer and I…" I pause as if it is difficult for me to say but I keep my face emotionless. "I know what it is like to lose a sibling."

The crowd makes a bunch of sad noises. "You are referring to your brother Paul Markham, hmm? Who came second place in the Ninety Fourth Hunger Games after being killed by Zaydan Day who was just on this stage minutes ago hmm?"

"Yes. He sacrificed himself for me and now I am passing the good deed on."

"What a great man you are."

"Thank you."

The crowd cheers and claps. To add to the drama of it all I look around with the best pained expression I can muster.

"Before we run out of time, I have one final question," Augustus says quickly. "I assume your girlfriend came to visit you after the reaping hmm?"

"Yes."

"What did you say to her, before you left?"

"I told her that I would keep Neriah safe. That she would lose me, but I would make sure Neriah got home no matter what."

Augustus wipes a tear from his eye. "I wish you the best of luck. Everyone. Silas Markham!"

The buzzer sounds and I walk off stage to the sound of more thunderous applause and raucous cheers. Neriah immediately hugs me and Frilla grins.

"I couldn't have done it better myself. Good job, both of you."

The rest of the interviews are pretty monotonous. Haymitch has an interesting moment in his where Augustus asks what he thinks about there being even more tributes than the quarter quell he won and Haymitch responds with, "Nothing has changed. The tributes now are just as stupid as the tributes then, so the odds haven't changed all that much." This gets a large laugh from the crowd. Shortly after that the interviews are over and we go back to our floor where we all have dinner. No one says anything. At least not until Lachlan decides to open his big mouth once again.

"What did you do in the private session?" he asks. I don't know who he is asking because I don't even look at him. I am just focussed on my leg of lamb.

"Hey dumbass. Silas, I'm talking to you."

"Why? Jealous?"

Lachlan snarls. "I just wanted to say congratulations. Eight is a good score."

I sigh. "Thank you. Seven is decent as well."

He nods his appreciation. "Too bad your interview was some sappy shit. Maybe you could have got sponsors but not anymore."

Before I can even react Frilla places a firm hand on my arm.

"Don't," she says. I calm myself down.

"I feel sorry for you Lachlan," I say, "You are a sad excuse for a victor and an even sadder excuse for a man."

All of sudden Lachlan flips his plate making his food fly all over for me. I react quickly, reaching over the table and grabbing his shirt but he pushes me off causing us both to fall back. His chair tilts back and he falls to the ground while I am back to my feet ready to attack but Frilla, Korietta, Neriah and Sussal are all trying to hold me back. I stop, breathing heavily and glare as Lachlan stands up.

"I hate your whole fucking family. Even your parents, who will do literally anything for a bit of morphling."

"What did you just say?" I clench my fists. What does he mean?

"Yeah that's right. Your parents get their morphling from me. Always have. I knew it would destroy them and it has. It took a little convincing at first but pretty soon they made the decision that you didn't matter. All that mattered was getting their fix."

I launch forward so quickly no one can stop me. My fist connects with Lachlan's face with a satisfying crunch causing him to curse and stumble back. Blood streams out his nose.

"You're going to be the first to die in the arena Silas," he shouts as he points a finger at me. "I'll make sure of it."

With that he storms out. Both Korietta and Lemara follow him out. Lachlan is the one who got my parents addicted to morphling. He is the reason my life became hell after my brother died.

I have to take a long shower to calm down but pretty soon my anger is replaced by sadness when I have to say goodbye to Frilla.

"Remember, stay away from the cornucopia, find water and leave your alliance at the correct time," she says. I nod and then we hug. I never thought it was possible, but it has happened. Frilla, even though she is from the Capitol, is my friend, and I am happy to have met her. Neriah is full on bawling and this knocks Frilla over the edge.

"I love you guys," she says not even bothering to wipe away her tears.

"We love you Frilla. Thank you so much." Neriah says.

Frilla nods and smiles. "May the odds be ever in your favour." That saying means something different now.

After that I go to bed, but I have no intention of sleeping. Pretty soon I get up and knock on Neriah's door. It opens straight away.

"Ready?" I ask and she nods eagerly. We go to the elevator and make our way to the roof. Bethany, Tobias and Tonisha are already waiting for us like we agreed. Bethany immediately runs up to Neriah and they start chatting. Something about the moon I don't know. I approach the other two members of my alliance and greet them.

"Isn't it funny," Tobias says, "they're having a party for us, but we can't attend."

I look down and sure enough there is a huge outdoor party going on in the streets below.

"I bet you wish you were down there with them," Tonisha says.

"Of course, I do. You don't?"

"Well if it was a choice between dying tomorrow or partying with Capitol citizens," Tonisha dramatically acts out thinking, "I would have to pick death." The three of us laugh but then we soon become silent as we look down to the streets below.

"So, we're clear on the plan?" I say and they both nod.

"Don't worry Silas. It's going to go well," Tobias tells me.

"I know it will," I say back. I look over at Neriah who is sitting cross legged with Bethany. "It has to."

We stay there for a while, the five of us just enjoying each other's company until we all decide we need to try and get some sleep. Neriah stays with me and in the few short hours we have before dawn she wakes up twice from nightmares. I don't get much sleep. When our stylists come for us however, somehow, I do feel rested. Maybe it's the adrenaline for the start of the Games.

Before Neriah and I are separated we hug. "See you soon," I whisper and then she is taken by her stylist.

Korietta takes me to the roof where a hovercraft picks us up. Once I am inside, they insert a tracker into my arm.

"Decided to actually do your job this time?" I sarcastically say to Korietta, but she just glares at me. I suppose she is not in the mood to insult me today. We eat a good breakfast and then the hovercraft drops us off in the catacombs underneath the arena. We make our way to the Launch Room assigned to me where Korietta helps me get ready. The way I am dressed seems to suggest the arena will not be super cold nor super-hot. I hope so anyway. The cargo pants and shirt I have on are comfortable enough, but the jacket is pretty thin.

"Well," I say to Korietta once we hear the voice telling me to prepare for the launch, "I can't say we got along but thank you all the same." At least I am being honest. Korietta laughs and then wraps her arms around me in a big hug.

"I would wish you good luck," she whispers in my ear, "but you're going to die anyway."

I feel something pierce my arm. With a gasp I try to move back but Korietta's grip is surprisingly strong. I feel pressure in my arm and then Korietta pulls away. The first thing I notice is the dripping syringe in her hand. I recognise that type. It's what my parents use to inject morphling. The only difference is that this one is about double the size.

"No..." I try to say but it comes out as more of a whimper.

"Compliments from Lachlan," Korietta says and then she pushes me back causing me to stumble onto the circular metal plate. A glass cylinder comes down around me blocking me off from her and then the cylinder starts to rise. Korietta is laughing. The last I see of her is her lifting her hand to wave and then I am momentarily blinded by sunlight. As my eyes adjust, I hear a booming voice.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let the one hundredth Hunger Games begin!"


	5. Chapter 5

Is this what Lachlan meant when he said he'd make sure I would be the first to die in the arena? I know he and Korietta are friends and not the nicest of people, but I never imagined this. This must be Lachlan's revenge for Paul killing his daughter and it seems like it will work. I am already feeling the effects of the morphling as my body starts to relax and keeping my balance on the metal plate starts to get harder. I will myself to focus. If I can just find Tobias, Tonisha, Bethany and Neriah and tell them what's going on they will be able to help me.

The first thing I notice is the cornucopia. A massive horn in the middle of the grassy field with weapons, backpacks, tools and other useful things packed inside. Strewn about the field are more supplies but the further from the cornucopia they are the less useful they seem. The most valuable things are right in the middle. Never mind a bloodbath, with the amount of tributes in this Games it's going to be a blood waterfall. The tributes are standing on metal plates in a circle around the cornucopia so many of them are blocked from my view. Surrounding the field are tall hedges with openings seemingly placed at random.

As I am looking around my vision starts to get blurry and suddenly, I start to feel happy. So happy that I am laughing before I even realise it. I notice Bethany just two places away from me and I wave at her. Shit. What am I doing? I force my hand down to my side and look forward. I need to focus. Then the gong sounds. One minute is up already. I try to take a step forward but somehow misjudge how high the metal plate is raised above the grass. I fall forward, landing on my hands and knees. Woah. The grass is so...green. Focus Silas, I tell myself. I need to focus. Something touches my shoulder making me jerk away but when I look, I realise its Bethany.

"B…Bethany."

"Silas, what's wrong?" She asks, her voice quivering.

"I've been drugged," I manage to slur out. "Tobias...Neriah."

With Bethany's help I get to my feet and then I see him. Lachlan. He is holding a sword and standing next to Lemara who is holding a mace. We lock eyes and he gives me a smirk. Before I even have a chance to think my legs are moving forward. I charge across the grassy field with only one thought. Kill Lachlan.

Wait no. Bethany. She is part of my alliance and friends with Neriah, I must protect her. I turn back and locate Bethany just in time to watch another tribute slice her neck open. The blood seems to ripple like waves in a pond after someone throws a stone in it as it cascades down her neck. I stare at it transfixed. I only realise the tribute is coming for me next after he falls to the ground dead. I look up at Zaydan who is holding a sword.

"Keep your wits about you Silas," he says before running off.

Then I'm running too. Not with Zaydan but in a different direction. Or maybe not. I don't know. Something digging into my left shoulder pulls my focus back to the here and now. I see a tribute, I think the boy from 10, right in front of me. His hand is gripped around the hilt of a knife, but the blade has somehow vanished. Oh. The blade is inside me. Something in the back of my mind tells me I must attack so I do. My hands wrap around his hand and then I twist. There is a snap that sends vibrations through my body. They tickle. The boy falls to the ground screaming as he clutches his right wrist in his left hand. Did I do that? I go to help but realise I can't lift my left arm. The knife is stopping me. I pull the knife out of my shoulder and look as my own blood drops off it. I never realised blood was so beautiful. The boy is still screaming, and I find it quite funny. The way he is twisting and turning on the ground. I am laughing. When I plunge the knife into his neck I stop laughing though. The blood seems to have different shades of red like a rainbow but just of red. Wait. I can't stay here. I have to go.

The next thing I know I am running, still holding the knife. I am not in the field anymore but on a narrow grassy path. On either side of me are tall hedges. The path twists and turns like a labyrinth. All of a sudden, I see a creature blocking my way. A humanoid bat-like creature with grey leathery skin and sharp claws. I shake my head. It must be the morphling, I think. That lady...what was her name...she gave me morphling. Was it my Mum? Did my Mum give me morphling? No, it was Abigail. She didn't want me to feel any more pain. No more pain. I'm flying. Wait, no. Something is carrying me through the air. I look down and realise I am above the arena. I see the cornucopia in the distance and around it is a maze. Some tributes are running around looking lost. Then I look up. The bat-like creature is carrying me. I stab up making the creature screech and then we start to fall. We tumble through the air until we hit the ground. I hear a crunch that sends vibrations through my torso. It tickles. We landed with the creature below me. It reaches up with its head and bites me in the neck.

"No," I say but it doesn't stop so I stab it in the side of the head. I roll off the dead bat human and lay on my back looking up at the sky. It's a deep shade of blue. So beautiful. Why is it turning black? Oh, I guess it's time for bed.

I'm in the Justice Building back in District 6. Peacekeepers lead me and my parents into a room where we find my brother. I immediately wrap my arms around him, crying into his nice shirt. I can't speak. I can hardly think. Paul pats my back not saying anything either.

"I don't want you to die," I manage to splutter out as I look up at him, tears and snot running down my face, "You deserve to live...you deserve longer..."

"Shhh. Listen to me Silas," he says as he bends down, looking me in the eyes, "It's not about how long you live. It's about what you do with the amount of time you have."

My tears are making my vision blurry, but I see him smile.

"You have at least a little bit longer. Make use of it. Live your life to the fullest."

I wake up with a shout. My face is wet, and I realise I've been crying. Shit. I hope the cameras are not on me. Then that thought is quickly overtaken by the pain that shoots through my body. Well I guess the morphling is out of my system now. I start to think back to what happened. I need to figure out what was real and what I saw because of the drugs. Bethany died. I'm sure that happened. I couldn't even protect her for thirty seconds, how am I meant to protect Neriah for the whole Games. No, I can't think like that. I was drugged, it wasn't my fault. Wait. Neriah! Is she still alive? It's night-time now and I think I missed when they project the faces of the dead tributes into the sky from a couple of hovercrafts. The only way I can know is if I find her or someone who knows what happened to her. I shake my head in frustration but then quickly stop as the movement causes too much pain.

The boy from District 10 stabbing me in the shoulder was definitely real because the stab wound still hurts like hell. I am lucky the knife went through the flesh above my collar bone. If it had been lower or more to either side, I would probably be dead. I guess that means me killing him was real too. The knife next to me confirms it. That was my first kill. I took the life of a teenager. A poor boy who was fighting for survival just like me. Just like Neriah. The puncture marks in my neck as well as my back from where the bat creature bit and grabbed me means that was real also and the fact that it hurts my ribs every time I take a breath means that we probably were flying and then did fall. Great. So, I have been drugged, stabbed, clawed, bitten and dropped all in the first day of the games. Then I start to question if it is the first day of the games. I don't know how long I was passed out for. Maybe it's day two or three. Then I realise if it had been longer than a day, I probably would have died either from my wounds or from dehydration. It must be the first night.

When the bat creature was carrying me, I noticed that the arena was a massive maze surrounding a circular open field where the cornucopia is. That means it may be hard for tributes to find me but at the same time it would be difficult to know if a tribute is close. I am lying down in the middle of a pathway in the maze. If a tribute were to come here it would not be difficult for them to kill me. Who knows how much blood I've lost, and I don't have any medical supplies. There is no way for me to combat infection or quicken healing. Then I see it. A parachute silently making its way towards me. A gift from a sponsor! Maybe it's not over for me yet. It lands next to me and I pick it up quickly.

The gift is a tub and after struggling to open it I see it's a sort of balm. Medicine. I've seen it be given as a gift in previous Games. It has extraordinary healing properties and is extremely expensive. I apply some to my stab wound, and a little to my claw and bite marks. I grunt as it stings but I know it will help.

"Thank you," I manage to croak out. Then it hits how thirsty I am. I will need to find water soon but first I need to heal. I force myself to roll over to the edge of the path and manage to get myself halfway into the hedge. Hopefully if a tribute passes this way in the dark, they won't be able to see me. I spend the next few hours somewhere between sleeping and being awake, at one point hearing a wolf-like, high-pitched howl that sends shivers down my spine. Eventually I do get into a somewhat deep sleep, but it doesn't last long as I am roused by the sound of the cannon. Someone just died. Immediately Neriah comes to my mind but I force myself to be positive. She is alive. She has to be. At this point the sun is pretty high in the sky so I decide it's time to get moving. Water calls. It takes a lot of effort but eventually I get to my feet. There is dried blood all over my clothes but it's not like I can change it right now. The medicine has done wonders for my wounds but of course they are not completely healed. I need to find water though, no matter how much pain I am in.

As I start to walk, I realise just how dangerous an arena this is. The pathways twist and turn at random and I'm pretty sure the hedges move, as at one point I turn left and then the path behind me disappears as if it was never there in the first place. Or is it just that I'm becoming lightheaded from loss of blood and lack of water. Not a good combination. My mind runs on Abigail. I wonder if she is watching right now. Maybe the cameras are on me as I tumble through the maze with only a knife as defence. Or are the cameras on Neriah. Maybe she's with Tobias and Tonisha, trying to find me and wondering how Bethany died. Or maybe Neriah is dead. What about my parents? Are they high right now or are they trying to stay sober so that they can watch their remaining son fight in the Hunger Games? Or maybe they're already dead. Overdosed straight after the reaping.

I fall.

I don't trip on anything but my legs buckle, struggling to hold up the weight of my body. I lick my cracked lips and sigh. I need water but I just can't move. The sun is high in the sky, heat beating down on my back. The thick hedges on either side of me seem to trap the heat in the pathway making a sort of heat blanket around me. I need to move. I need to find water or me surviving my wounds won't matter. I grit my teeth and push myself to my feet. One step. Two steps. I look forward and see an opening in the hedge. Is that a cave? I stumble forward and just as my vision blurs to the point where I can't see anything I fall forward. When I come to, its once again because of the cannon. It sounds twice in quick succession. I immediately think about Neriah. Wondering. Hoping.

I am lying face down on the rocky ground, so I turn myself over. My throat is painfully dry. I don't know how long I was out for but now water is even more of a necessity. It seems I really did find a cave. I am surrounded by rock even though the hedges of the maze are plants. I rub some more medicine on my wounds. They are feeling pretty good considering. If I die, it won't be because of my wounds. It seems dehydration is going to have the honour of killing me. All of a sudden, I hear the Panem anthem start playing. They are going to show the faces of the tributes who died today. With a grunt I crawl towards the entrance of the cave so I can see outside. It is completely dark now. I look up to the sky and see Imaani from District 5 who won the ninety-fifth Games and two tributes from District 12, the normal tribute boy and the victor tribute woman. Three dead today. I briefly think about Haymitch, wondering if he is still alive but then I decide to focus on my own survival.

I have just gone completely back into the cave when I hear it. Clumsy footsteps rapidly coming towards me and heavy breathing. The footsteps get closer and closer and then stop right outside. Have they seen the cave? Please no. Something scrapes against something else and then a small orange light emanates from outside. Shit. As quietly as I can I pick up my knife. Willing the person to go away but ready to do what must be done if they don't. The light starts to slowly move towards the entrance of the cave. First, I see a slender arm holding a match and then I see nothing as the match goes out. I hear the person fumbling around for a few seconds before they light another match. The person takes a step closer and I tense. I recognise her face but can't place which district she is from. She isn't a past victor otherwise I would know. The match is not strong enough to light up the whole cave so she still can't see me. We are plunged into darkness again and again she lights a new match. I have to strike before she sees me because I am clearly at a disadvantage. Her shoulders relax a little as I guess she supposes if there was anyone in here, they would have attacked already. The time is now. When I raise my arm her head twists to look at me. She pulls out a knife.

"Who...who's there," she demands. I know I need to take her out right there and then but for some reason I can't throw the knife. She takes another step forward and for the first time the light reaches me. Our eyes meet for a split second. I pause, unsure of what to do. Then she lunges towards me. Without thinking I throw the knife, aiming for her chest since I don't trust myself to hit anything smaller, especially while she is moving. Fortunately, I hit my target. The girl looks down in shock and takes a step back. She drops the knife and matches and slumps to her knees.

I only see her outline in the darkness as she crawls for the entrance of the cave, her breath coming in ragged gasps. I force myself to my feet and take a shaky step towards her picking up the knife she dropped as I do. I grab her shoulder roughly and push her over, so she falls onto her back. Her backpack flies off her shoulder and rolls along the ground. I bend down, raise the knife up and just as I am about to finish her off, I look into her eyes and stop. The only light is from the moon and stars outside but it's clear enough for me to see the sadness, the pain, the fear. Did I do the right thing? Maybe I should have stayed still, and she wouldn't have seen me. Maybe I could have formed an alliance with her. Maybe...then I stop myself. She came for me. If I hadn't thrown the knife, in my weak state I would be dead.

"I'm sorry," I croak and then I plunge the knife into her. The cannon sounds a few seconds later. My second kill. Watching as someone's life fades away is something I will never get used to. I know that a hovercraft needs to take the body so after searching her pockets I push her body outside the cave. I already know she had a knife and matches so I open her backpack to see what else she has. Using a match for light I almost shout in delight. It's a water bottle. Without thinking I twist the cap off and start chugging it down. The water right now tastes better than any Capitol food. I could easily finish it all, but I stop myself after I've drunk about half. It's not what I need but it's enough to keep me going for now. After all, I don't know when I will find more water.

I continue looking through the backpack and find another knife, iodine, an opened packet of beef jerky and a small first aid kit. She must have grabbed this from the cornucopia or maybe taken it from a dead tribute. Either way this backpack has probably saved my life. I eat a little of the beef jerky and then open the first aid kit. There isn't a large variety of things but there are bandages, safety pins, plasters, antiseptic cream and gauze dressings. I put more of the medicine on my wounds, then put the gauze dressing and wrap the bandage around them using the safety pins to keep it in place.

The rest of the night I don't sleep so by the time morning comes I am exhausted. I decide that I am in no shape to be walking around so I stay. After a while I do fall asleep and when I wake the sun is high in the sky meaning it is probably about midday. Once again it is a cannon that wakes me. I wonder if Lachlan and Lemara are still alive. I hope not, I think and then immediately tell myself off. Lachlan isn't a nice person, but he doesn't deserve to die here. No one does. He has to die though, if Neriah is to live. I have decided to believe that Neriah is alive as if she wasn't, there would be no point for me to keep going. I eat a bit more of the beef jerky and drink a bit more of the water before closing my eyes again. I never imagined being in the Hunger Games would consist of so much lying down.

As night falls, I go to the cave entrance and look up to see the faces of the tributes who died. The first face is the boy from District 7. Then comes the girl I killed, and I see she is from District 9. My stomach tightens in guilt, but I try to ignore the feeling. Finally, they show the boy from District 11. Three more dead. It seems that the tributes are dying quickly in this games although since there are so many tributes this year that is no surprise. That night I sleep well and by morning I am feeling strong enough to leave the cave so after having the last of the beef jerky and water I start to walk. It takes only a few twists and turns before I am lost amongst the bushy hedges. I keep a knife in my hand in case I have to react quickly but as the hours pass, I become increasingly aware of how quiet it is. That is, until I hear the cannon sound three times in quick succession. What could it be, killing multiple tributes at the same time? And am I going towards it? At this point I have no idea how I am going to find water or Neriah. My mouth is already dry and the longer I am away from Neriah the more likely it is that she will be killed.

I stop for a while to take a rest. It's already getting dark and all I have seen are endless passageways. What would Frilla tell me to do at this moment? She gave us an overall plan but didn't really talk about specific situations that we might find ourselves in. Like me being drugged and then us being separated. I chuckle to myself. This is going so badly all I can do is laugh. I get up to continue walking, not really seeing anything else I can do. It's virtually impossible to get my bearings as the maze is always changing so I don't even know what direction I am going in relation to the cornucopia. If I could at least find that, then I might be able to get my bearings. I turn yet another corner and when I see who is walking towards me, I sigh.

"Well, well, well," Lachlan says with a grin, "look who it is."

I sneer as Lachlan and Lemara stop a few feet away from me. Lachlan is holding a sword while Lemara has a backpack and a mace. I make sure my backpack is strapped to my back securely and take out one of my other knives, so I am holding one in each hand.

"You have a lot to answer for Lachlan."

"Oh really," Lachlan says, "I have got to say, I am surprised you are still alive. I guess you have the same fight in you as your brother."

"You don't get to talk about my brother."

"Don't worry. You'll be seeing him soon."

I notice that Lemara is shaking even though the day before the Games she seemed fine. Lachlan didn't just drug me, he managed to get drugs for her as well, although now in the Games she obviously doesn't have access to them. My attention snaps to Lachlan who is now running at me. He swings his sword for my head, but I duck and back up just as Lemara's mace swings a centimetre in front of my nose. Pain originating from my ribs shoots down my side, but I try to ignore it. I take a step back and throw a knife at Lachlan but somehow, he deflects it with his sword.

"What…" I push the remaining knife I have in my hand forward to block Lachlan's next attacked. Metal clashes on metal, jarring my arm so much a cry of pain and shock escapes my lips. I have no time to recover as I throw myself out the way of a swing from Lemara. I land on the ground and throw my knife. It buries itself in Lemara's thigh and she screams. Lachlan lunges at me. I move my head to the side as his sword pierces the ground. I wrap my fingers around his wrist stopping him from pulling it out and push. We both roll over leaving the sword in the ground as we grapple. He pushes me off and jumps to his feet, but I am up a second after him. I unsheathe my third and final knife as Lachlan pulls his sword from the ground and Lemara yanks the knife out from her leg and drops it.

I am breathing heavily as I stand there, the only light is the full moon making everything have a silver quality to it. The two previous victors stand before me brandishing their weapons, both their chests heaving. They are both unfit and Lemara is suffering from withdrawal symptoms. If I can just outlast them...as I think this, they both charge.

I weave, trying my best to dodge both weapons but Lemara's mace catches me on my already injured left side hard, sending me sprawling to the ground. I let out a breath and push myself up. No way am I letting Lachlan and Lemara kill me. I turn to face them and clench my jaw. I have to win this fight. At first, when I see the looks of fear on both of their faces, I smile to myself as they must be realising that I am not such an easy opponent but then I notice that they aren't looking at me. They're looking behind me. Then I hear it. The high-pitched howl like the one I heard a couple nights ago. Except this time, it's coming from right behind me. I turn slowly, my heart beating so hard it threatens to tear out of my chest. In the moonlight I see a large dark mass. It stands on two legs like a human, but it is more like a wolf in shape. Pointy ears, sharp claws, white glistening canines. The wolf mutt let's out a guttural growl and lowers itself onto all fours. That's all I need to see.

I turn and start sprinting as fast as my body will allow. Both Lachlan and Lemara start off right next to me but as we turn the first left Lemara starts to fall slightly behind, the knife wound in her leg slowing her down. I hear the panting as the mutt chases us, right on our heels. Then in front of me is a sword coming towards my face. I duck and stumble forward. My hands touch the ground, but I push off keeping on my feet but losing my grip on the knife.

"Shit," I say but there is no going back. Lachlan swings at me again but I punch him in the side of the face, so he veers right bumping into Lemara. Lemara's leg buckles and within seconds the wolf mutt is on her. All I hear are her screams, growls and the sound of tearing flesh as I keep running. Then a cannon. I see Lachlan charging towards me, so I grind to a halt. He smashes into one of the hedges. I start to run again but I feel something hit hard against my backpack pushing me forward. I turn around quickly and see the wolf mutt has turned towards Lachlan who is standing with his back against the hedge, sword held defensively in front of him. The wolf mutt swipes at the blade first sending it spinning through the air until it lands on the ground right in front of me. Without thinking I reach out for the hilt and pick it up. This will come in handy.

I look forward again and see the wolf mutt use its claws to slice right through Lachlan's stomach. Once Lachlan is dead it will focus on me. It has to die now. With a shout I take two long strides forward and jump, stabbing with the sword. The blade goes straight through the mutt's head and then I pull it out just as swiftly as it went in. The creature falls to the ground. As I look at it, I let out a sigh of relief. I'm safe, for now. Lachlan lies next to the creature, blood pouring out of his stomach, but he is somehow still alive. He briefly lifts up a hand to me before dropping it back to his side. I almost turn away. I am so close to just leaving him there, but I stop myself. No one should have to die alone. Not even him. I bend down next to Lachlan and take his hand. Lachlan's mouth starts moving so I move my head closer so that I can hear him.

"Sorry...for everything," he says softly.

"Lachlan just ...breathe." It's the best that I can think of. I don't accept his apology. I never will. He is the person who gave my parents morphling and then he had me drugged. All because my brother killed his daughter in the Hunger Games when it was his daughter who attacked first. I can never forgive this man. He continues speaking though.

"Sorry for Neriah."

I freeze. "What did you say?"

"You have to win...for District...6." Lachlan's eyes close but I shake him until they open again.

"Wait Lachlan, what happened to Neriah?"

"Sorry," he says again.

"What happened? What did you do?" I shout. "What did…" I stop. Lachlan is dead. And so is Neriah.


	6. Chapter 6

I failed.

Neriah is dead.

All I wanted to do was protect her. Make sure she went home. Make sure Abigail didn't go through the pain of losing a sibling like I had to. Make sure I could have an impact on the world. Make sure my life didn't go to waste. Do what my brother told me too. But here I am, alive by some dumb luck but she is dead. If I hadn't been drugged, if I had found her at the cornucopia like I was meant to then I could have protected her. Lachlan said he was sorry "for" Neriah. Not "about" Neriah but "for" her. Does that mean he killed her? Was that his plan to completely and utterly destroy me? Get his daughter to kill Paul, get my parents addicted to drugs, drug me and then kill Neriah. It was all a part of his plan. He probably rigged the reaping so Neriah would get picked as he knew I would volunteer for her. He got morphling in the Capitol so what else could he do?

I wander around the maze until the sun starts to rise. That's when it hits me. The heavy, unbearable weight that makes me fall to my knees and stay there. I can't do anything. Hell, I don't want to do anything. What's the point? Neriah is dead. My purpose is gone. I would be happy to die in here now. I promised Abigail that I would protect Neriah. Abigail. Slowly I stand up. What would Abigail say to me now? She would look at me, tears running down her face and say, "I don't want to lose you too." Abigail wouldn't hold it against me. She would know I tried my best. I always try my best. It takes a while but eventually I start to think straight again.

Neriah is dead.

That means the priority becomes my own survival. My wounds are healing nicely although my ribs took a bit of a hit from Lemara last night making them feel even worse than they did from the fall with the bat mutt. If I don't move my arms above my head and only take shallow breaths, I don't feel them so I decide they must not be too bad. I have a sword, but I lost all my knives, so I decide to retrace my steps since I am better with knives. Within a few minutes, however, I am lost. The maze must have changed itself since the wolf mutt attack. I take another left and come face to face with...a robot?

"Greetings tribute Silas Markham, District 6. I am the Arena Guardian Intelligence. You may call me Agi."

I can't help but stare at the humanoid in front of me, dumbfounded. It is shaped like a woman but wears no clothes, it's silver skin glints in the sunlight and its voice has a mechanized undertone to it.

"Congratulations on surviving the Hunger Games for so long," Agi says to me in a level tone.

"Tha...thank you."

"You're welcome. Now, I have been programmed to not let anyone pass through this gate unless they answer a riddle correctly. Are you ready?"

I tear my eyes away from the robot to look behind her/it and see the otherwise normal maze hedge has a closed golden gate.

"What's on the other side?" I ask.

"I am not at liberty to tell you that information," Agi says in her robotic voice.

"So, if I get the answer to a riddle wrong you won't let me through?"

"If you get the answer wrong, I will tear you limb from limb."

"I see. Well then I think I will just go a different way." I am about to turn around when Agi speaks again.

"If you take even one step away from me, I will tear you limb from limb."

All I can do is to close my eyes and sigh.

"Ask away." I am resigned to my fate.

"You have thirty seconds to answer. If you fail to give the correct answer in thirty seconds, I will tear you limb from limb."

"Great," I mutter. Just another thing making it even more difficult for me to get out of this situation alive.

"I will now say the riddle: It happened to everyone precisely once; the build-up however took many months. What is it? Your thirty seconds starts now."

Immediately I start racking my brains. At school, before I had to quit, we used to do many riddles in class. I must have heard this one before. I must have...no. It's not coming to me. What happens to everyone? Everyone breathes but we don't just breathe once. What about death? Everyone dies right? But not everyone dies once. My parents have technically died when overdosing but they were brought back. I've heard that happens in the Capitol all the time. People die for whatever reason but then the doctors can get their heart beating again. Not everyone dies only once.

"Fifteen seconds left," Agi says. I wipe my sweaty forehead. Damn it. Come on, Silas think. Only once but the build-up takes many months. Build up? Many months? Everyone does it only once and it can't be death. Build up to death doesn't take months for everyone anyway so…

"Five." Agi says.

Life. Life happens to everyone. We all only live one life and it takes months of a woman being pregnant before someone is born. That's build up.

"Four."

But Agi said it happened to everyone. Past tense.

"Three."

It can't be life. People are still alive so they haven't lived their whole life yet so it can't be referred to the way Agi did.

"Two."

I take a deep breath. The next thing I say could be the last thing I say ever.

"One."

"Birth," I say desperately. Agi doesn't move to tear me apart so I explain. "Everyone is born precisely once, and the build-up is the nine months pregnancy."

I wait, every muscle in my body tensed until Agi finally speaks.

"Silas Markham, District 6, you have answered correctly. You may pass."

I can't help but smile. I'm not dead yet. This arena will not defeat me. Agi steps to the side and pushes open the golden gate.

"It was nice to meet you Agi," I say, still smiling.

"Likewise, Silas Markham. I am glad that I did not have to tear you limb from limb. Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favour."

With that I walk through the gate confidently. How many of the tributes in here could have answered that riddle. Probably not many that's for sure. My pride quickly dissipates however as I see another tribute sitting down on the ground with his back towards me. I don't think he has noticed me yet. If I can sneak up and...he turns to glance at me.

"Oh joy," he says, "why don't you join me."

It's Haymitch Abernathy from District 12.

"Look, Haymitch. I don't want to fight you."

"Lucky me," Haymitch says. He's not looking at me anymore. Does he not view me as a threat? Wait, Haymitch is smart. Smart enough to win the second quarter quell, smart enough to help start the Mockingjay Rebellion and smart enough to not be killed when the Rebellion was destroyed. This must be some sort of trap.

"It's not a trap you know," Haymitch calls out, "At least, not one set by me." He then chuckles to himself as if he had just told a funny joke. I look around and realise we are in an oval shaped opening with hedges all around us. There is no way out. I look behind me and realise the gate has disappeared. We are trapped. I look back at Haymitch. He is just sat there, in the middle of the clearing with his back towards me. Except… he is not just sitting down. He is leaning against something. Cautiously I move forward and when I am but a foot away from Haymitch I reach out to touch him. Instead my hand touches a cold, hard completely invisible surface.

"What?" I mutter. I move my hand along, but I don't find an opening. This invisible wall completely separates me from Haymitch. I smash my sword against it nothing happens.

"You done?" Haymitch asks rather irritably. "I was enjoying the peace and quiet."

At that moment a cannon booms across the arena.

"Yeah I'm done," I say realising there is nothing I can do to get out of this situation. I follow Haymitch's example and sit down with my back against the invisible wall. I wonder what the Gamemakers are thinking, just keeping us here like this. Surely, they would get more entertainment out of making us fight. Then I remember what Frilla said. The Gamemakers will do whatever gets them the best reaction from the audience. This may be a chance to get another sponsor. I could sure do with some water.

"How did you win your Games Haymitch?" I ask. After a few seconds of silence, I am about to repeat the question when he finally speaks.

"I didn't win anything. I survived. That's it."

He's right. The only people who win the Hunger Games are the Capitol. The Victors just manage to outlive all the other tributes.

"Survival. It's funny how when I came into this Games I didn't even care about my survival. Now, that's all I have left to care about," I say.

"So, you don't care about that little girl anymore?"

"I failed her."

"You're talking like she's already dead kid."

"She's not?"

"You haven't been paying attention?"

"After the bloodbath I was...incapacitated. I didn't see who died the first day. Actually, I don't even know how many days we've been in here."

"This is day five I believe although they might be messing with the time. Just under twenty died the first day and I don't think the girl was one of them. Haven't seen her face up in the sky since then."

First, I smile, then I grin. Then I start full on laughing. Neriah is alive. I haven't failed. I can still make sure she goes home. I can fulfil my promise to Abigail.

"There a joke I'm not getting?" Haymitch asks. I force myself to stop laughing and wipe away the tears from my eyes.

"I'm just happy. Lachlan told me she was dead."

"Lachlan. Nasty piece of work that one. You know if he's still alive?"

I shake my head although Haymitch isn't looking at me.

"Killed by a mutt," I say.

"Your brother killed his daughter," Haymitch says.

"Yes, but she attacked first. It was self-defence. Otherwise Paul would have never killed the other tribute from our district like that. Lachlan hated my whole family because of it though. He got my parents addicted to morphling and then somehow got my stylist to inject me with it right before the games started. That's why I didn't see who died on the first day. It's a miracle I'm still alive. I suppose his last bit of revenge was trying to make me think Neriah was dead. For a while he succeeded."

"I never liked the guy but damn. I guess he was one to hold grudges."

"Just a little," I say and we both laugh.

"You're actually alright kid. What's your name again?"

"Silas."

"Silas," Haymitch repeats as if mulling it over. "Why did you volunteer Silas?"

"To protect Neriah. I know what losing a sibling is like and I didn't want Abigail to have to go through that."

"But do you know what it's like to lose a partner? Newsflash, kid. It hurts just as much."

"Before the reaping Abigail said if Neriah was picked she would volunteer. That means she was ready to lose everything to save Neriah. That means she was ready to lose me." I don't mean for it to happen, but the words catch in my throat slightly, so I stop talking. I can't show weakness to the sponsors nor to Abigail.

"You said your parents are self-medicating?" Haymitch says.

"Yes."

"We'd probably get along."

"I'm sure they will be happy to hear you say that although there's no guarantee they're watching. No guarantee that they're even alive."

"That bad huh?"

"My Dad overdosed literally the day of the reaping. It was his second time and my Mum has already overdosed twice as well. I went into debt to get naloxone but there is no more and no one to be there if they need it."

"You've had a tough few years then."

"I started begging at twelve as well as taking out tesserae. At sixteen I got a job, but it still wasn't enough. My parents decided to give up on life, so I had to step up." The bitterness in my voice is evident. I continue talking.

"Paul, before he left for the Ninety-fourth Games, told me that life is not about the amount of time you live but what you do with the amount of time you have."

"Hmm." Haymitch grunts.

"Ever since then I've wanted to do something meaningful with my life but instead, I've just been working myself to the bone just so me and my parents could survive. It's no way to live."

"So volunteering was your way of doing something meaningful with your life? Your swan song before you die? That's just a classy way of committing suicide."

"No, I…" but I stop because he is right. I was prepared to die as soon as I said the words, I volunteer as tribute. Haymitch takes my silence as confirmation and chuckles.

"What's funny?" I snap defensively.

Haymitch stops laughing and sighs, "It's just that I want the same thing. Kind of."

"Really?"

"Even if I survive this thing, there's nothing left out there for me."

"You don't have a family?"

"Ha, my family died a long time ago. Both of them."

"What do you mean by "both of them"?" I ask confused.

"My mother, sister and girlfriend were all killed in an "accident" shortly after my Games. Then my second family, were all killed. Although this time the Capitol didn't even pretend it was an accident."

That's when I realise, he is talking about the Mockingjay.

"What really happened?" I ask softly, "When she died?" We are probably not allowed to talk about this so it's unlikely the cameras will be showing us right now but since they haven't blown us up or sent a mutt after us, I figure it must be okay. Haymitch seems to think for a second before likely coming to the same conclusion.

"We'd just sent a team into the Capitol to rescue the captured Victors. We had Finnick Odair on the air releasing secrets about President Snow to distract everyone, but Snow knew. He always knew. Despite that he let the rescue team leave unharmed. We didn't know why but pretty soon we found out. Peeta Mellark had been hijacked to believe Katniss was the enemy. As soon as he saw her, he leapt up and snapped her neck. It happened so quickly, there was nothing anyone could do. Later when Peeta's memories started returning he realised what he'd done and killed himself. Everything fell apart after that...everything."

"How did you escape?"

A cannon sounds.

"I didn't, they let me live. I don't know why, and I wish they hadn't. I went back to 12, started drinking again and then I was reaped for this. That's it. That's why I'm done with this life."

At this point I hear Haymitch move. I turn around and face him. He grins.

"I just want to go out in a cool way," he says. We hear the boom of another cannon.

"Well, I can't die until Neriah and I are the final two."

"Well good luck with that kid. If I come across her I won't kill her."

"Thanks."

Haymitch raises an eyebrow and looks up. "Guess someone liked our conversation. Or at least, your part of it."

I follow his gaze and see a parachute coming down towards me. I excitedly pluck it out of the air. It's a bottle of water. Thank you Frilla. I take a massive gulp and sigh in satisfaction but then I see Haymitch eyeing me with a frown.

"I would share it...if I could," I say. He shrugs.

"I prefer stronger stuff anyway."

The rest of the evening we spend having a bit of small talk while resting. Once it gets dark the anthem plays and shows the faces of Lachlan, Lemara, Kavita Dunn from District 7 who was the Victor of the Eighty-sixth Games, Raife Barrow from District 5 who won a Games around the time of Haymitch and another tribute I don't know also from District 5.

"Did you know Raife?" I ask.

"Yes. He was a good man, kept to himself mostly. Has three kids."

"Oh," is all I can say.

We decide to take turns being on watch and I am first. Nothing happens and by the time it is Haymitch's turn I am desperate to fall asleep. The next morning, I wake when the sun is high in the sky.

"Oh, look who decided to re-join the land of the living," Haymitch says.

The first thing I do is reach out, but the invisible wall is still there.

"I've checked, Haymitch says, "we're still stuck here."

"Lucky us," I mutter as I take out my water bottle and have a sip.

"How did you get stuck here anyway?" I ask.

"This weird robot thing said I had to beat it in a race, or I would be torn limb from limb. When the race started, I tripped it up, won the race then went through a golden gate and ended up here. I suppose you did something similar."

"The weird robot thing asked me a riddle and said if I answer incorrectly it would tear me limb from limb, but I got the right answer."

"Good ol' Gamemakers keeping things interesting," Haymitch says.

As he says that, I see the hedge behind him start to move. Noticing me looking, Haymitch turns just as the hedge separates to reveal six armed tributes.

"Well shit," Haymitch mutters. He pulls out a knife and turns fully to face the careers. I recognize Cienna Arellano from District 1, victor of the Ninety-eighth Games, Anwar Beil from District 2, victor of the Seventy-third Games and Deborah Zimmerman from District 13, victor of the Eighty-third Games. With them are the normal tribute boy from 1 and both normal tributes from 4. Zaydan is not with them.

"I suppose you don't want to talk about this," Haymitch says, his voice calm.

"This isn't personal Haymitch," Anwar says, "All part of the game."

"Well it's about to get very personal," Haymitch says before turning to me. Then just as the careers charge, he winks.

No. There is no way I am letting Haymitch die here. I pick up my backpack and strap it to my back tightly. Then I pick up my sword. Haymitch is quite quick for his age. Dodging between the careers' weapons and swinging his knife wildly when they get to close. I smash my sword against the invisible wall but just like before I can't get through. The District 1 boy slashes Haymitch on the arm and the District 4 girl stabs him through the leg with her spear.

"Haymitch!" I shout as I bash my sword again and again against the wall to no avail. Haymitch drops to one knee and Anwar stabs him in the back. I watch helplessly as Cienna delivers the final blow with her club, crushing Haymitch's skull. The cannon sounds before his body has touched the floor. Cienna then looks at me.

"Hey, you're handsome. What's your name?"

I don't answer. Instead I'm just looking at Haymitch's still body.

"This is the one who is trying to protect the little girl," the District 1 boy says as he scrapes his machete against the invisible wall.

"Everyone, come on," Anwar says, "the hovercraft needs to collect the body. We'll get this one another time." He glances at me with a smirk.

Cienna blows me a kiss and then all six of the careers turn to walk away. I was just a few feet away from where Haymitch was killed and I couldn't do anything. I punch the invisible wall in anger. Only...my fist just touches air. The wall is gone. I know I should stay where I am and let them leave. There is no way I can win six to one. I know this and yet I pick up Haymitch's knife and throw it anyway. It buries itself in the back of the District 1 male. He screams in pain and crumples to the ground. The other careers all turn to look at me.

"Well, well, well," Anwar says, "Looks like later, is now."

I hold the sword in front of me.

"You may be handsome but you're not very smart," Cienna says. She looks down at the groaning District 1 tribute and hits him twice in the head with her club. The cannon sounds.

"There is no way you can beat us," Anwar says, "It's five to one."

"I like those odds," I snap back gripping my sword tighter.

"So, do I!" the District 4 boy yells as he charges with his sword. I parry his strike and back up. I am starting to regret throwing that knife. The only way I will survive this is if I get to the opening in the hedge and escape. I charge forward taking the District 4 girl by surprise. Her spear is low so she can't block when I slice her side. The cut isn't deep enough to stop her and I can't follow up the attack as I am already twirling away from Anwar's knife. He grits his teeth as he presses forward. I raise my leg and kick him in the gut before blocking a swing from Cienna's club and then running straight past her. The only person between me and the hedge opening is Deborah. She swings a sword at me, but I simultaneously duck and slice her stomach. She falls to her knees and as I stand to my full height, I stab her threw the back. The cannon sounds and then I run. I have taken just a few steps when I feel a sharp pain on the outside of my left calf. I stumble forward but manage to keep on my feet. Then I look up and see a crossbow pointed directly at my chest.

"You might want to get out of the way," Tobias says with a half-smile. I hustle to the side just as he lets loose a crossbow bolt that buries itself into the neck of the District 4 boy. As the cannon sounds the careers hesitate. I don't. I launch myself towards Anwar. He blocks my first two swings with his knife, but the extra length of my sword allows me to step back out of his knife's reach and slice his throat open with the tip of my blade. I push the sword into his chest to quicken his death and I hear the cannon. Before I have even pulled the sword out of Anwar the District 4 girl is swinging at me but a crossbow bolt going through her neck stops her dead in her tracks. As the cannon sounds, I look around but Cienna is gone. The hedge must have opened somewhere else allowing her to escape. I let out a breath and look at Tobias.

"You can't imagine how good it is to see you," I say.

"What about me?" comes a voice from behind him. Out steps Neriah with a big smile. With a joyful shout I rush towards her and pull her into a tight hug.

"I thought you were dead," I say, my voice shaking slightly, "I thought…"

Neriah doesn't say anything. It takes a moment for me to realise she is sobbing into my shoulder.

"It's okay, we've found each other now."

I pull back and smile. She is looking good although a little skinnier and a lot dirtier. She does seem hydrated which I am happy about.

"You've been getting water?" I ask and Neriah nods.

"A gift from a sponsor but not that much for the three of us," she says.

"Three?" That's when I see Tonisha there smiling at us.

I stand up although I keep a hand on Neriah's shoulder.

"Thank you," I say to Tonisha and then turn to Tobias, "both of you."

Tobias shrugs as he loads a bolt into his crossbow. "We're allies. We should take what we can and then get out of here," he nods at the five dead bodies. The careers all had backpacks full to the brim with items. No wonder they all survived until now. Tonisha and I already have backpacks, so we just fill them up. I take three throwing knives, two bottles of water, a bag of dried fruits and a sleeping back. With what I have already I decide I am pretty well set up. I see Tonisha put some rope in her pack while Tobias and Neriah take packs of their own. Tobias collects his bolts and then we go. As soon as we leave, I look back and see a hovercraft appear seemingly out of thin air and start collecting the bodies. If Tobias hadn't arrived when he did that could have been my body being collected.

"How did you find me?" I ask.

"Purely by accident," Tonisha says.

"We heard some sort of commotion. I told these two to stay back then I went to have a look and saw you," Tobias explains, "arrived just in the nick of time I'd say."

"You did. Thank you."

"Why didn't you come to us at the cornucopia?" Neriah asks.

"Yes. I saw you and Bethany," Tonisha adds.

"You did?" I asks. She nods.

"I shouted, Bethany stopped but you didn't, then she got killed. I saw Zaydan save you and then you ran out of view."

My shoulders sag. "I was drugged."

"What!"

I go on to explain everything that happened from the moment Korietta drugged me until I saw Tobias as I was trying to escape the careers. By the time I am done, Tobias is shaking his head, Neriah is squeezing my hand tightly and Tonisha's eyes are wide in shock.

"I am amazed you survived," Tonisha says.

"Of course, he did," Neriah says happily.

"You are a survivor, I'll give you that," Tobias says patting me on the shoulder, "that was a bit of a dick move from Lachlan though, saying that Neriah was dead."

"He probably wanted me to give up. One last attack on me before his death. It almost worked."

"Well it's a good thing it didn't," Neriah says and I nod.

"We're here," Tonisha suddenly says. I notice that we are standing in front of a cave. Tobias raises his crossbow and starts to walk towards it.

"On me," he says and Tonisha starts walking slightly behind him with her spear held defensively.

"What's going on?" I ask Neriah who is waiting beside me.

"The caves are good places to stay but sometimes there are tributes or mutts already in them," she tells me.

"Clear," Tobias calls back to us before he and Tonisha disappear into the cave.

"Come on," Neriah says as she walks forward. I look around to make sure no one is watching us and then follow her inside.

"The cave I stayed in was like this," I say, "or maybe it was this one."

"It's possible. The caves and the centre field are the only things in the arena that stay still." Tonisha says.

"What do you mean?"

"The pathways of the maze are constantly changing. There are all sorts of mutts and traps and other craziness that are also always moving. As far as we can tell the only things that always stay still are all the caves and the centre field where the cornucopia is. That's how we can orientate ourselves."

"But how do you know where the cornucopia is in relation to this specific cafe?"

"The mouth of the cave is always facing away from the cornucopia," Tobias says.

"From what we've seen," Tonisha adds, "we haven't seen every cave in here, but this is the fourth we've found and yes it seems the mouths always face away from the cornucopia."

"Wow," I say. Alliances can be helpful. We all make ourselves comfortable in the cave deciding we will stay the rest of the day and night there.

"So, what happened to you guys?" I ask, "From the start of the Games until we met?"

"After I saw you run off at the cornucopia, I grabbed a backpack and then started looking for Neriah as I knew Tobias would be trying to get the crossbow," Tonisha answers.

"I was still on the metal plate just looking around. I thought you would find me, but I saw Tonisha and then ran to her. We waited on the edge of the field," says Neriah.

I look at Tobias and glance at the crossbow, "You were successful in getting the crossbow then?"

Tobias grins and holds it up triumphantly.

"Almost died for it but yeah. As soon as I got it, I shot the District 12 girl, met up with Tonisha and Neriah and then ran into the maze."

"I wanted to look for you, but you had already gone," Neriah says, a hint of sadness in her voice.

"You did the right thing not looking Neriah. You wouldn't have found me anyway," I say, squeezing her shoulder. "So, what happened next?"

"We walked," Tobias says, "for days. Eventually we finished the water and food in the backpack Tonisha picked up. Luckily we weren't hungry because Neriah found food in the hedges but…"

"Food in the hedges?"

Neriah beams proudly. "I recognised the type of plant used as the walls of the maze. The inside of the branches have an edible sap."

"It tastes shit, but it's kept us going," Tobias says, "but we couldn't find water. We were all pretty weak and dehydrated when we came across the bird mutts."

Neriah quivers. "It was horrible."

"They shot acid out of their beaks," Tonisha explains, "we watched it literally melt the young boy from District 11's flesh from his bones. It's a miracle we survived."

"But we did. That's what matters," Tobias says sternly. "We survived and then we found you. Now we have a bunch of food and water so we can all regain our strength."

"We should have a feast," Neriah says excitedly.

Tobias smiles, "That's exactly what I was thinking."

"We can't waste what we have. Who knows when we'll be able to find more water," Tonisha says.

"There must be water somewhere and we'll be more equipped to find it after we are well fed and completely hydrated. Silas, what do you think?"

"I haven't been eating or drinking enough since the Games started. I think it's a good idea. Let's leave some water just in case though." I say as Neriah nods her head rigorously. Tonisha sighs but then smiles.

"Okay, let's feast."

By the time we have put all our dried, fruits, nuts and beef jerky together into honestly the best meal I've had since leaving the Capitol it has turned dark. Just as we start to eat the anthem starts to play. The tributes who died in our fight the boy from 1, Deborah, Anwar, the boy and girl from 4 and Haymitch are the only faces that are shown in the sky. I feel a tinge of sadness as I see Haymitch's face. He was a good man. Someone who fought so hard against the Capitol, against the Hunger Games, yet he still fell within their system. Well, one less tribute between Neriah and victory. I took out three careers which is good. As I think this I frown. Shouldn't I feel...guilty. I killed three people who were forced into the Games just like Neriah was. It's not their fault, they didn't deserve to be killed. But I killed them, and I don't feel guilty. In fact, I feel absolutely nothing.

"Do you know how many are left?" I ask to know one in particular. Tobias and Tonisha exchange a thoughtful look.

"Hasnan and Cienna are still alive. Also, I think the other District 1 girl," Tobias says.

Tonisha nods, "Monet as well."

"Is she in the career pack," I ask.

"No, I don't think so. Knowing her she's probably out hunting tributes by herself." Tobias says.

I frown. Monet only won the Games last year. "You know her?"

"We've...met." Tobias says, glancing to the side.

"I think the career pack now, is made up of the three District 1 tributes, the District 2 male, Zaydan and maybe the girl from 13." Tonisha suggests. "I don't think I saw her name in the sky yet. Also, Jose is alive."

"Jose from 3?"

"Yes."

"Great," I mutter sarcastically.

"Who's Jose?" Neriah asks.

"Won the 81st Games." I tell her. "It's the shortest Hunger Games ever. He made a bunch of traps the first day and by the second day everyone had been caught in them."

"Oh." She utters obviously slightly scared at the thought. "But he hasn't done that this time."

"Maybe we just haven't come across one of his traps yet," I say.

"From what I saw at the cornucopia unless he has received a bunch of very expensive sponsor gifts, he doesn't have the materials to make a bunch of traps," Tobias says and I see Neriah physically relax.

"Jose is known as the smartest person in the history of Panem." Tonisha tells us, "He can probably make a bomb from his own shit."

We all laugh at that. If only to relieve the tension somewhat.

"Who else?" I say after a while.

"Kyra from District 11 is still alive. Me and Bethany spoke to her during training. She's twelve as well," Neriah says.

"Alanna is probably with her," Tobias adds.

"Alanna won the Games the year before you right?" I say and Tobias nods.

"She's a really nice girl. A good friend."

"So that makes..." I quickly count through everyone we mentioned, "So that's ten plus us fourteen. Is that all?"

"Maybe a couple more that we can't think of right now." Tobias shrugs. "Anyway, I'm going to sleep. Who's taking the first watch?"

"I will." Tonisha volunteers.


	7. Chapter 7

For the next two days we all stay in the cave, only peeping out each night to have a look at who died. The first day its twelve-year-old Kyra's face in the sky. Thinking I have to comfort Neriah I try to bring her into a hug, but she tells me she is okay. She is stronger than I sometimes give her credit for. The second day it's the District 3 girl. Before, we weren't sure if she was still alive but now we have our answer. I briefly wonder how they died. Did the careers get them, or mutts or maybe they just offed themselves because they couldn't handle it any longer?

The third day, when we are running out of water and having to eat the sap from the hedges, is when we decide to venture out the cave and look for a water source. Neriah is optimistic we will find some because of the type of grass or something so trusting her, once again I find myself walking along the winding pathways. Only this time I have company.

"Hey, look." I look over to where Tobias is pointing and grin.

"Well that was easy," I say. Right there in the pathway to our right is a small pond.

"Maybe the Gamemakers added it recently," Tonisha says thoughtfully, "Careful, it might be a trap."

"Stay behind me," I say to Neriah. She nods, clutching the knife she picked up from the dead careers with both hands. I ready my sword and with Tobias to my left with his loaded crossbow and Tonisha to my right holding a spear I slowly approach the pond. It's in the middle of a circular opening in the maze slightly wider than the normal pathways. There are only two paths leading to it although that is subject to change at the behest of the Gamemakers. In and around the pond are a large number of bright yellow frogs.

"Is it just me or are those frogs looking at us?" As Tobias says this half a dozen more frogs crawl out of the pond and sure enough, their big black eyes seem to be following our every move.

"Wait a second," Neriah says. She pushes past me and stares at the frogs for a few seconds.

"Um...we should leave," she says slowly.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"Those are Golden Poison Dart Frogs. They touch us and we will die." More and more frogs crawl out the pond, all of them facing us, blocking our way to the pond.

"Back up," I say. We all start to walk back slowly. "Just back it up."

"Yep," Tobias says, "I am not dealing with that today."

Only when we are sure that none of the frogs have followed us do we finally start walking normally. Those frogs were definitely mutts and according to Neriah, very poisonous ones.

"The Gamemakers are just playing with us now," Tonisha says a while after leaving the pond. Tobias scoffs.

"Tell me about it."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"There have been no cannons today. They are probably keeping all the tributes separate on purpose and will be messing with us all day to keep the Capitol viewers entertained. Meanwhile they are planning something big for the next couple of days. We call it the toying phase. Happens in almost every Games."

"So, you think something big will happen tomorrow?"

"Or the day after. All the tributes will be brought together so a few will die. And then it will be time for the fina…" Tonisha stops and stares past me.

"Dom?" She says quietly.

"What?"

"Dom!" Tonisha runs straight past me at full speed. I catch a glimpse of tears running down her face. I look to see where she is running to and what I see makes my heart almost stop. Tonisha is talking to someone but I pay her no mind because standing there just a few metres away is Abigail. My feet start taking me towards her without me even thinking. My mind starts racing. Why is she here? How did she get here? Is this a Capitol trick? Is this a twist in the Games? I hear Tobias say something to my right, but I pay him no mind. Neriah gets to Abigail before me, clutching her and wailing in delight.

"Abi," I say when I finally come to a stop in front of me. She smiles at me. That beautiful smile. Her eyes are a bright yellow and…. I pause. Abigail has hazel eyes. Something is wrong. I take a hesitant step back and suddenly Abigail's smile turns to an angry sneer. It's at that point that I realise Neriah is not wailing in delight, she's crying out in pain. Abigail is digging her sharp nails into Neriah's shoulder. Before I can figure out what is going on Abigail's head whips back from the force of the crossbow bolt entering her skull. She crumples to the ground letting go of Neriah who runs to me. I wrap my arm around her shoulders and watch as Abigail's body starts to morph. The skin becomes grey, the limbs become long, the teeth rot and the hair thins.

"Are you two okay?" I jump at the question and brandish my sword in reflex.

"Relax Silas. It was a mutt," Tobias says. I glance back and see three of the dead creatures, all with bolts in their heads. By one of them, on her knees, is Tonisha with her head in her hands. I can just about hear her quiet sobs. Tobias looks at her as well.

"Let's take a break for a bit," he says. My legs are shaking so much that I almost collapse as I am sitting. Neriah plonks herself next to me, clinging onto my arm.

"How did they do that Silas?" she asks quietly, "How did they make it so...real?"

"I don't know," I say my voice shaking.

"Do you think she's okay? Did they hurt her to…"?

"I don't know," I say even quieter because I can't even think about anything happening to Abigail right now. Wait. What am I doing? I can't act like this in front of Neriah. I have to be strong for her. I close my eyes and take a deep breath before opening them up again. I look at Neriah and give her the most reassuring smile I can muster.

"I mean the Capitol have a lot of weird technology. It was just an illusion. Abigail is fine. I promise."

They wouldn't hurt her. Would they? No. I have to think positive. For Neriah's sake. I don't know how long we sit there for but eventually, Tonisha comes and sits near us.

"Hi," she says, her voice wavering slightly.

"Hi," I respond, my voice not faring any better.

"Who did you see?" she asks, "if you don't mind me asking."

I shake my head indicating its fine. "I saw Abigail, my girlfriend. Neriah's sister. We both saw her."

"Oh," Tonisha utters, "What's she like?"

"She's…" I pause for a second, "...beautiful. Inside and out," I say. "When someone is being picked on, she is the first to stand up for them and if a fight is brewing, she is always trying to calm everyone down."

"She is so caring," Neriah adds. "Whenever I am scared or worried, she always stays with me until I calm down no matter what she has to do."

"She has a great eye for fashion," I say with a smile. "She can just...look at clothes and know if they are going to look good on someone or not before they even try them on."

"And colours," Neriah says.

"And colours," I agree. "It's like an instinct for her. She knows which colours work together just by picturing them in her mind."

"She's so brave." Neriah is crying but she continues talking. "She isn't afraid of anything...she...I love her." Neriah buries her face into my side, unable to hold back the loud sobs. Tonisha smiles sadly.

"She seems like a wonderful lady."

"She is the best," I say before taking a deep breath and wiping the tear forming at the corner of my eye. "What about you, who did you see?"

"My husband, Dom."

"You're married?" I ask, slightly surprised

"Yep, with six kids."

"Woah! You must like children or…"

"Something else?" Tonisha suggests.

"Yeah," I say somewhat sheepishly.

"Let's say both."

We laugh and I even hear Tobias snort in amusement from a few metres away. I glance over at him and frown.

"There were three mutts. One for you, one for me and Neriah so the third one must have been for you Tobias. How did you know it was a trick?"

Tobias turns and shrugs. "There was no one they could show me," he says simply. "We should get moving. We still need to find some water."

Deciding not to question Tobias about his cryptic answer I get to my feet along with Neriah and Tonisha before once again starting to walk, having a slightly tighter grip on my sword than I did before.

"The pathways are getting wider," Tobias says after a while. He is right. Now that he has pointed it out, I realise we have a lot more space between the hedges that we did before.

"We must be nearing the cornucopia," Tonisha says and sure enough the next left turn we take we find ourselves staring at an exit of the maze leading to the grassy field in the centre of the arena.

"Get down," Tobias hisses and we all heed his words squatting low so as to make it harder to be seen in the already dimming light. As I survey the scene I try to take in as much as I can. In the mouth of the cornucopia, in a bunch of piles are bags, weapons and supplies just sitting there looking tempting. Lounging around them are the remaining careers in the alliance; Hasnan, Cienna, the girl from 1, the boy from 2 who was cut by Monet in training, the girl from 13 and of course Zaydan. We were right about who was in the alliance when we were counting tributes a couple days ago.

Zaydan is seemingly the leader as he is barking something at the boy from 2 who is reluctantly obeying by doing something with one of the bags. Hasnan and Cienna laugh about something while unbeknownst to them, the District 1 girl gives them a glare. The girl from 13 is a bit further away from the group minding her own business. It seems all is not well in the career pack. With any luck they will turn on each other and rid themselves from the competition. Although if anyone would survive such a situation, I know it would be Zaydan.

Despite him actually being nice on the outside, in the arena, he is probably the most ruthless tribute after Monet and is not someone to be taken lightly. A good fighter, smart, good looking, charismatic and a merciless killer. Frilla said that whoever the audience wants to win will be who wins so it makes sense that despite Paul's great story of volunteering for me, Zaydan was probably the crowd favourite in their Games. He is essentially the perfect tribute, sculpted in the training centre of District 4 to be that way. It will not be easy to defeat him. If Neriah is to survive though I am going to have to succeed where my brother could not.

All the careers look pretty relaxed which is expected since they have hoarded all the food and water for themselves. I briefly think maybe we should have joined the career pack but then decide that would have been a bad idea. They wouldn't have accepted Neriah into their alliance.

"Let's go before they see us," I whisper not really wanting to risk a fight at the moment. The others nod in agreement so we all quickly and quietly move away putting a good amount of distance between us and the cornucopia. We stop to get some sap from the hedges to eat and then we drink some water.

"I'm out," Tobias says with a sigh.

"Me too," Tonisha adds.

I shake my bottle and hear a small amount of water swishing inside.

"I have a little left," I say and then glance at Neriah.

"I have just under half a bottle," she says. I nod. At least Neriah will be able to survive a bit longer if we don't find any water.

"It's getting dark. Let's continue looking for a little bit but if we find a cave we'll stay there for the night."

As we continue Neriah walks with Tonisha slightly behind Tobias and me.

"What are your children's names, Tonisha?" Neriah asks.

"There's Isabelle, Mary-Ann and Lori who are twins, Bridgett, who is about your age, Emily and Clea is the youngest."

"You have all girls?"

Tonisha chuckles. "Yes, funny isn't it. My husband really wanted a boy so we kept trying and trying but it seems like we can only create girls."

"Do you miss them?" Neriah asks quietly.

"I miss them so much it hurts. I would do anything to see them again…" Tonisha pauses and I hear her take in a deep breath. "You would fit in really well with them you know Neriah. I can imagine you and Bridgett would become really good friends if you could have met."

I don't know what it is but something in Tonisha's tone makes me uneasy. "I would do anything to see them again." That's what she said. "Anything." I glance to my side and see Tobias already looking at me. We lock eyes for a moment. Something is wrong. I force myself to smile.

"All good?" I ask.

He nods. "There's another pond." I look to where he is pointing and sure enough there is a small body of water in a clearing at the end of the pathway we are currently walking down. As we get closer, we all look expectantly at Neriah. She furrows her brow and looks around.

"No frogs. That's a good sign." She moves closer to the water, inspecting it carefully.

"Be careful Neriah," I say as I hold my sword in front of me, ready for anything.

"I am. I just want to look properly," Neriah says as she gets down on her knees by the water's edge and peers into it.

"Hmmm, I think it's safe." Neriah turns to look at me. "Let's try…" What happens next, happens so fast it takes a few seconds for me to actually make sense of it all. Two thin, spindly, grey arms with clawed fingers grab Neriah by the shoulders and yank her into the water, pulling her under immediately.

"Neriah!" I shout as I run forward, flinging my backpack away and dropping my sword. I take off my jacket and pull out one of my knives. Tobias moves in front of me.

"Stop, Silas. Do you even know how to swim?"

"Get out the way," I growl.

"Silas it's too dangerous."

"Move!" I shove past him and dive headfirst into the pond.

If I wasn't underwater, what I see probably would have made me gasp. The pond is deep but the water is relatively clear so I can see pretty well. Neriah is being held by a creature I've only heard about in stories. Its lower half is a long fishtail with two large razor-sharp fins coming out each side looking like they could easily slice right through me. It would be a compliment to say its upper half, though in the stories is called humanoid, could even pass as human. The skin is grey, it has large breasts that somehow make it look even more unsettling and its head-oh, its head-It has spike like fins protruding from the top, its eyes are a shiny blood red so I can easily see them glowing in the water and its teeth are razor sharp like a serrated knife's edge. I watch as it lowers its head towards Neriah's leg and bites. Neriah wriggles around letting out a scream that I can only just hear. I've never swam before, but I know how to in theory.

Putting my knife in my mouth I start to kick my legs, flap my arms and wriggle my body so as to make my way over to Neriah and the monstrous mermaid. What I'm doing seemingly gets the creatures attention as it lifts its head from Neriah's leg and looks straight at me. I stop moving, take the knife out of my mouth and ready myself. Get ready to die, I think but I'm not sure if I'm directing it at the creature or at myself. The mermaid mutt, and it must be a mutt because no creature like that could be real, launches towards me with little effort. I jab my knife forward but I'm not sure if I hit it. What I do know is that the mutt hits me. It wraps its arms around me as we spin wildly in the water. I thrash and fight and slice and at one point I see a red liquid in the water before I feel myself pulled away. Whose blood was that? I can't see Neriah. In fact, I can't see anything as the creature whips me around the pond by my leg and then pulls me down. Or at least I think it's down. I am proven right when I feel something, or should I say a lot of somethings wrap around my whole body. Vines. I kick my legs and swing my arms with all my might but all it does is make me becoming even more entangled. Then suddenly the mutt lets go of my leg and swims up.

I see Neriah.

She's almost made it to the surface, blood streaming from her left leg making the water turn red around her. The mutt is catching up quickly. No! I have to help her. It's now that I realise just how far from the surface I really am. I'm not sure pond accurately describes just how deep this thing goes. Damn it. My lungs are burning, and my vision is starting to blur. No. I can't die. Not when Neriah is still in danger. I am still holding onto my knife. It's time to put it to use. I manage to flick my wrist just enough to cut the vines around my lower arm and slowly, as I get more manoeuvrability, I cut more and more vines.

I glance up again and see a lot of thrashing around, but I can't quite make out what exactly is going on. Please let Neriah be alright. I haven't heard a cannon so she must be alive although who knows whether I would be able to hear it down here. I cut the last vine around my ankle and waste no time before I start swimming, or wriggling, my way upwards. I grit my teeth, trying to ignore the burning sensation in my chest. I need to breathe. As I get closer, I see the mutt seems to be fighting someone. There is a lot of blood making it even harder to see. Wait. Is that blood or am I just seeing black? Why is it so hard to keep swimming? No. Almost there. Come on. I close my eyes and keep pushing. Left, right, left right. Kick, kick, kick.

Then I break the surface.

I've never been this happy to just have my head surrounded by air. There is no time to celebrate, however. Gulping down oxygen as fast as I can I take in the scene. Neriah is on dry land sitting, her leg bleeding out while Tonisha is jabbing at the mutt with her spear. Tobias is trying to get a shot with his crossbow, but the mutt is moving too fast. As much as I'd like to kill the thing, I realise we can't beat it. Not without putting our lives at risk unnecessarily. Even though the pond is deep it's not very wide. It doesn't take me long to get to the edge and pull myself out of the water. A sense of relief floods over me. I rush over to the others and immediately go for Neriah. Her leg is bleeding slightly less but it still looks pretty bad.

"Silas. You're okay?" She cries and I nod and smirk.

"Of course, I am. Now come on, we need to get out of here." I pick up my jacket and stuff it as well as my knife into my backpack.

"How the hell are you still alive?" Tobias says as he shoots a bolt at the mutt but misses as it dives below the surface.

"I am not allowed to die yet," I respond as I get my sword, "now how about we leave this place."

"Don't have to tell me twice," he says, starting to back away from the water.

"I hope that thing can't come on land," Tonisha says.

"I'm not planning on waiting to find out. Here, Neriah, come on." I help Neriah up and support her as we leave the pond behind, Tobias and Tonisha covering our backs. I glance back and see the mutt's shining red eyes one more time before it goes below the surface and doesn't return. We were lucky there was only one. Had there been more, both Neriah and I would be dead at the bottom of that pond. It is completely dark by the time we find a cave. I help Neriah inside and lay her down. As soon as her head touches the ground her eyes close and she falls asleep. Her leg isn't bleeding anymore but the wound is nasty, and her skin has gone pale and clammy. It's a shame I don't have any of the medicine the sponsor gave me anymore.

"Let me dress the wound," Tonisha says.

"No, it's okay," I say back quickly. It's getting to the latter part of the Games. I don't want to take any risks.

"No seriously. I have more experience than you, I'll do it."

"I said, it's fine," I say sternly.

Tonisha frowns. "You think I'm going to hurt her?"

"I don't know. Are you?"

Tonisha backs up a bit, actually looking hurt, making me feel a little guilty.

"What's your problem Silas?" Tobias snaps.

"Why did you try to stop me?" I snap back.

"What?"

"When Neriah was pulled into the water why did you try to stop me from going after her?"

Tobias takes a while to respond. "Because I thought it was a dumb idea. You won't protect her by committing suicide."

"If I had let you stop me, she would be dead. But that was your plan wasn't it."

"Silas, you hurt me," Tobias says calmly although I hear his breathing getting heavier. "Have I not done everything in my power to protect both of you? When you were by yourself, I made sure Neriah was safe even though I could have killed her, and you would be none the wiser. I stayed and fought that mutt even though I could have run and left you to your fate. I'm the one that pulled Neriah out of the water. So, do you want to repeat what you said about my "plan"."

The guilt is overpowering now.

"You're right. I'm sorry." I look over at Tonisha and gesture at Neriah. "If the offer is still on the table?"

Tonisha gives me an understanding smile and squeezes my shoulder. "I will make sure it is cleaned well."

"Thank you." I go to take a seat next to Tobias.

"I'm sorry man," I say, "It's just with everything going on. The mutt, us getting further into the Games, my nerves are on edge you know."

"It's alright." Tobias says. "I just want you to know, and I think Tonisha is in agreement, when we do have to split up our alliance, we won't try to hurt you. Let's agree when it's time to leave and separate on good times." I nod.

"Yes...thank you."

The anthem starts to play. I look out but just like I expected no faces show up in the sky. As a show of good faith, I take double watch that night as Neriah needs a full rest.


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning, I am pretty tired, hungry, thirsty and I have the sniffles. Sleeping in damp clothes wasn't such a good idea. When Neriah wakes up she is also sniffing and we both start sneezing. Damn it. Just another complication to add to the list.

"I guess we can only get water from sponsors now," I comment to no one in particular. The longer a Hunger Games goes on the more expensive gifts become so it's not as simple anymore. We will be lucky to receive any more gifts now.

"Well actually," Tonisha says, "I've been thinking about that. We can't rely on sponsors. If we get some it would be good, but we still have to be proactive."

"What did you have in mind?" Tobias asks.

"We steal from the careers."

I find myself nodding in agreement. The careers have all the supplies left in the arena. Getting some would help us massively.

"If we could just cause a distraction and then run in to grab something we could be in and out before they realise what's going on," Tonisha continues, "The only thing we have to figure out is what kind of distraction."

"If they are still hunting tributes maybe a fire would work," I suggest but Tobias shakes his head.

"They would expect a trap. The only tribute still hunting others is probably Monet and I don't want to get her attention."

"How then?"

Tonisha puts a hand through her hair. "If Tobias can get a good hidding spot and start shooting at the careers to draw their attention, Silas, you can run in from the back and grab as much as you can. Then you both leave and meet back here."

"What about Neriah? She can't walk," I say.

"I'll stay here with Neriah."

I am starting not to like this plan.

"I think I would prefer to stay with Neriah."

"You're faster than me and can probably carry more. I think it would work better with you."

"It's your plan. Don't you think you should be there to...supervise?" I say.

Tonisha crosses her arms. "I didn't realise you were in need of supervision."

I think for a moment, tapping into all the persuasion ability I possess. "Look, Tonisha. At the beginning of the Games, Lachlan made me believe Neriah was dead. When I found her, I promised myself and her that I wouldn't let her out of my sight again. So please, your plan is good, and I think it will work but I have to stay here."

Tonisha sighs. "Alright."

"Thank you."

After eating some hedge sap Tonisha and Tobias get ready to go.

"We'll come back here," Tonisha says, "if we're not back and you see our faces in the sky...well…"

"We'll be back," Tobias says firmly and Tonisha nods.

"Good luck," I say and then they are gone.

I settle down next to Neriah and smile at her.

"How are you feeling?"

Neriah groans. "Not so good. It hurts a lot."

I pull back the bandages that Tonisha applied slightly so I can have a look at the wound, and I don't like what I see. Yellow puss is leaking out each puncture making me wonder if the mutt was venomous or maybe just diseased. Neriah must have seen the face I made because there is a slight panic in her voice when she asks, "Is it bad?"

"No, no its just...it would be good if Tonisha and Tobias brought back some medicine. It would heal faster."

"Do you really not trust them?"

I am a bit taken aback by the question. She must have not actually fallen asleep straight away last night. "I mean, this is the Hunger Games. There can only be one winner."

"They are helping us though."

"They will only help us as long as it benefits them. We have to be ready for that to end because even though they say they want to leave peacefully; we can't be sure. The person who doesn't attack first won't get a chance to attack second."

"Oh."

"Just be on the lookout. If you feel uneasy about anything make sure you let me know."

Neriah nods. "You won't betray me, right?"

"What?" I blurt out in shock, "Of course I won't. The whole reason I am here is to make sure you get out of this alive. You know that, right?"

"Yes, I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked that."

I decide its best to hide the fact that I am quite insulted. I guess this is how Tobias felt yesterday when I accused him of trying to stop me from saving Neriah.

"It's okay. It's good to be sceptical of everything and everyone in here. That way you won't make any mistakes or overlook something that could prove fatal."

"Sill though, I'm sorry. My leg hurts and I'm scared. Always scared." Tears start to form at the corner of her eyes. I pull her into a hug.

"It's okay. I promise you'll survive this thing. I won't let you die."

"Do you miss home?" Neriah asks after a while.

"I miss Abi, a lot. A few of my friends as well. Everything else though, not really."

"Not even your parents?"

I scoff. "I miss how my parents were six years ago sure, but I definitely don't miss how they are now."

"If I go back…"

"When you go back," I interrupt. Neriah nods slowly.

"W... when I go back, I will make sure they stop taking drugs. I will have the money to get them to the best doctors."

"Thank you Neriah," I squeeze her shoulder. She is so kind. Someone like her doesn't deserve to be in this situation. If something were to happen to her, if I were to fail in my mission...well, I don't want to think about it. Before, when Lachlan led me to believe that she was dead there was a small thought in my mind not only telling me that he could be lying but also that it wasn't my fault because I had ben drugged and not with her when she had died. Now that I am with her though and to an extent, directly influencing what happens to her, the thought of Neriah dying and me going home makes me want to crawl up in the corner. How could I face Abigail knowing I let her sister die after actually being with her in the arena? I shake my head to rid myself of the negative thoughts.

"What about you Neriah? You miss home?"

"Yes. A lot. I miss my parents and Abigail and my friends and school and all the people. Although the food in the Capitol is so much better...and we always have as much as we want."

"That's true."

"But I prefer to eat a little bit with my family than a lot away from them."

"Soon," I say, "you will be back with them. Just imagine, you all laughing as you eat around the table in…"

"But you won't be there."

"I will be there in spirit Neriah."

She shakes her head. "You will be dead."

I think back to my conversation with Haymitch. "A classy way of committing suicide." That's what he'd said.

"I am going to tell you something Neriah and I want you to remember it. You might not understand the reasoning behind it and to be honest I hope you never will, but I want you to believe me when I say I want this. You being reaped, me volunteering, it gave my life meaning. Since Paul died all I have done is work and I couldn't see an end. Now I have an end and I have the opportunity to do something great. Don't feel bad about me dying Neriah because it's what I want. But first I need to make sure you stay alive."

Is it true? I don't know. And I don't have time to dwell on it too much because before Neriah can answer a small parachute lands at the mouth of the cave.

"Yes." I pump my fist before grabbing the sponsor gift. It is a tub of medicine like what I received near the beginning of the Games. I look up, hoping I'm looking at a camera and say, "Thank you."

I then go back to Neriah.

"What is it?" She asks.

"They sent us medicine for your leg. I used it before, it works wonders."

I carefully take her bandages off and apply a generous amount of medicine before putting on some fresh bandages.

"Hopefully by tomorrow you can at least walk on it a bit be..." BOOM.

We both jump in fright as the large explosion echoes around the cave.

"What was that?" Neriah screams.

"It sounded like it came from the cornucopia."

"I hope Tonisha and Tobias are okay."

"Yeah," I say noncommittally. "Well I didn't hear any cannons so they're probably fine."

It is after dark and just as the anthem has finished playing showing no faces in the sky when Tonisha and Tobias turn up looking tired and dirty. They both collapse to the ground breathing heavily when they get in the cave.

"What happened?" Neriah asks worriedly.

"We almost got blown up, that's what happened," Tobias says.

"Blown up? How?"

Tonisha answers. "It happened just as we were about to begin implementing the plan. Tobias was hidden and was just about to start shooting so I could run in and grab something when I saw Jose start running across the field towards the cornucopia. The careers saw him too and started running towards him. That's probably what saved them. He threw something and when it hit the pile of supplies it exploded blowing everything up. It was chaos. No one died but there are no more supplies left in the arena apart from what each tribute has on their person."

"But...how did he have a bomb? I mean I know you said he can probably make one from his own shit but come on."

Tonisha shrugs. "I said it as a joke, but it seems it may have some truth to it."

"I don't know how we are going to get water now," Tobias mutters. It seems the Gamemakers listened.

I hear trumpets and then a voice. "Attention tributes." I recognize the voice as belonging to the Hunger Games announcer. "Commencing at sunrise tomorrow, there will be a feast at the cornucopia where you will find an abundance of clean drinking water in bottles. Water as gifts from sponsors have been halted. This will be your last and only opportunity to get some." Then the announcement ends.

"We should all go." Tobias says

"We can't all go." I say immediately back.

"What do you mean we can't all go." Tobias says, "We have to go."

"All the tributes will be going, Tobias. It will be too dangerous."

"If we don't go, we will die of dehydration. You want that huh, Silas? You want that?"

"Neriah can't walk Tobias. You want to go, you can go, but I'm staying here with her."

"Maybe if we wait a bit so everyone has got what they want then we can get what's left." Tonisha suggests.

"Who knows how many bottles there will actually be. There might be one for all we know." Tobias counters.

"How do you expect this to go Tobias. You two almost died out there today. Neriah is injured. The careers are probably still staying close to the cornucopia so there is no way we'll be the first one there."

Tobias sighs and I see I am getting to him, so I quickly continue talking.

"I say we wait it out. Let the others kill themselves off first and then tomorrow, after we know how many are dead, we make our plan."

"Fine," Tobias says, "We'll wait." I nod in satisfaction but when I hear Neriah say something I turn to hear.

"What's that Neriah?"

"We can't wait. We need to get that water. The medicine is helping, I already feel better so tomorrow we should all go together. Leave a bit before sunrise so we don't have to rush. Then we can look around before making our move for the water. If we are all together, we can protect each other."

"I'm with her," Tonisha says.

"Me too," Tobias adds. They all look at me.

"Are you sure about this?" I ask Neriah. She nods and I sigh.

"Okay. We leave just before dawn."

I am starting to get a strange uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach

"Hey Neriah. Let's go outside and test your leg a bit," I say.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Tonisha asks.

"Yeah it will be fine. I just want to see how the medicine is working. Come on Neriah."

Tonisha frowns but then shrugs. I help Neriah up and support her until we reach outside of the cave.

"It's feeling better, but I still can't put much weight on it," Neriah says. I ignore her and bend down so I can speak in her ear.

"Neriah, there are thirteen of us left and people are going to die tomorrow. After we get some water, we're going to leave this alliance."

Neriah's eyes widen but she nods in understanding.

"Just make sure you stay near to me no matter what tomorrow."

"Okay."

"Good. Now let's get back inside."

That night I don't sleep well. The uneasy feeling doesn't go away and it keeps me up with pictures of all the terrible things that could happen tomorrow flooding my mind. Neriah doesn't sleep well either, as she wakes up from a nightmare after just a couple of hours and doesn't get back to sleep. When it is time to leave, I think both of us are actually happy to be doing something. Neriah's leg is quite a bit better but her limping makes for slow going. We arrive at the edge of the cornucopia just as the sun is beginning to rise. There is a table already there with about a dozen bottles of water on top.

"So how do you want to play this?" Tonisha asks. I turn to her and frown.

"You're asking us?"

"What...yeah, I…. what do you mean?"

"You always make the plans, Tonisha," Neriah says.

Both I and Tobias nod in agreement.

"You make the plan, I agree, Silas argues and then Neriah calms him down. That's how it goes," Tobias says. I jab my elbow into his arm.

"That's not true."

"Oh really?"

"Okay guys I have a plan," Tonisha says before I can respond to Tobias. "Neriah has to stay here because of her leg. Tobias will stay here with her covering Silas and I as we go get the water. Neriah, you will have to watch Tobias' back in case anyone comes from behind. Tobias, you shoot anyone who comes near us. Silas, you will stand guard while I get as much water as possible into my bag. I will leave some, so we don't become a target for other tributes because we have all the water. Then we run back, leave and find a cave to wait out the rest of the day."

"I agree," Tobias says.

"I don't," I say.

"Here we go," Tobias mutters but I ignore him.

"I think it's too risky leaving Neriah here while Tobias is focussed on us. I want to stay with her."

"Come on Silas. I understand you want to keep her safe but if only I go for the water and I get into a fight I will have much less of a chance than if it's the both of us together. If someone attacks from behind Tobias will be able to handle it," Tonisha tells me.

I shake my head. "No, I…"

"Silas, it's okay" Neriah says, placing her hand on my arm. "It's a good plan and we'll be back together soon."

I sigh. I don't like it, but it is the best plan that I can think of. "Okay."

Tobias laughs. "I told you it would happen like that."

"Yeah, yeah whatever."

I look at Tonisha and she nods.

"Ready?"

"Well, ladies first," I say. She smiles slightly before standing up and starting her sprint across the field. I am right behind her. When we are about a quarter of the way across the field Tonisha suddenly stops but I am running too fast and I see her too late. I run into her knocking her forward and that's when the explosion happens sending me flying. I hit the ground hard losing my grip on my sword. My ears are ringing, my eyes watering, my throat burning. Despite the world seemingly spinning around me it doesn't take me long to figure out what happened. Tonisha stepped on a mine.

I was right there and am okay so it didn't do as much damage as a normal mine would. It was probably made by Jose. That's when I see Tonisha's mangled body. Or at least, half of it. It's just her bloody head and torso with only one arm attached. I immediately fall to my knees and start retching. Vile tasting liquid forces its way out of my mouth. The cannon sounds. When I have finished vomiting, I look up to find Cienna standing before me holding the same club she used to kill Haymitch.

"Hey handsome," she calls out.

I frantically look around for my sword. It's a couple metres behind Cienna. Damn. I shakily get to my feet and pull out a knife. We stare at each other for a second. Then we both charge. Cienna swings her club and I duck and move to my right. I try to stab her in the arm, but she moves out the way. Perfect. I run straight for my sword and scoop it up. Now with a sword in my right hand and a knife in my left I prepare. She charges but this time I don't move. I block her club with my sword, holding my knife behind it for support. The impact jars my arms, but I grit my teeth and keep a firm grip on my weapons.

She swings again but I block and then I soon have her on the backfoot with my two blades. She swings the club around desperately trying to block both weapons. Then out of nowhere her fist hits my nose with a crunch. I stumble back shocked, blood running down from my nose into my mouth. She presses her advantage swinging her club from above. I try my best and manage to block it with my sword taking a few steps back as I do. I push forward but suddenly her leg comes up higher than I thought was possible for a human being and kicks the knife out of my hand. I grab my sword with both hands and swing as hard as I can but Cienna dodges to the right and flicks her club into my stomach. Winded, I fall to my knees and then I feel her weapon connect with my chest sending me sprawling onto my back. So, this is what it is like to face a properly trained experienced fighter one on one. I had no chance from the beginning. Cienna stands over me, on her face a look of...sadness?

"I really would have liked to get to know you better," she says quietly. Then she raises her club and I close my eyes, ready for the final blow. But it doesn't come. I open my eyes and see Cienna standing there with two crossbow bolts sticking out of her chest. She collapses to the ground and the cannon sounds. I see Tobias pointing his crossbow at me. I quickly jump to my feet and hold my sword in front of me. Tobias points his crossbow to the ground and lifts his left hand in the air.

"Silas, I'm not going to...I never was going to hurt you."

I grip my sword tighter. His crossbow is loaded. He could shoot me before I could reach him, but he hasn't yet. Slowly, I lower my sword.

"Where's Neriah?"

"I'm here." Neriah limps forward from the direction of the cornucopia. In each hand she holds a bottle of water.

"Neriah!" I rush towards her. "How did you get these?"

"Everyone was fighting. I just slipped in and out. No one noticed me."

I pull her into a hug. "You really are amazing, you know that?"

A cannon sounds.

"Um...guys, I think we should leave." Tobias says.

With me supporting Neriah we get as far away from the cornucopia as possible. We don't find a cave, it seems that the Gamemakers got rid of them, but we only stop once midday has passed. We all sit down breathing heavily. It's then that it finally hits me. Tonisha is dead.

I glance over at Tobias who has his head buried in his hands. While we were running, we heard two more cannons which means five people died today. I take Neriah's leg, apply medicine and new bandages before putting some of the medicine on my nose. I don't know if it will help broken bones, but it is worth a try.

"She was everything to me you know," Tobias says after we've all sat in silence for a while. "The only person left in the world I cared about and now she's gone."

"I'm sorry Tobias," I say.

"I wanted her to survive. The same way you are protecting Neriah, I was protecting Tonisha. She was meant to win and go back to her family. I promised her husband that she would go back to him."

I don't know what to say to this because this is awfully similar to my situation. Luckily, I don't have to answer because Tobias keeps talking.

"After my Games, I went back home. It's funny, on the train I thought it was going to crash. I couldn't get my mind around the fact that I was going to get home alive. But nothing happened. I got home safe. Walking through District 8, I was looking at the buildings, the shops, the dirty roads, all that...all that shit I fought to come back to. I had two younger sisters, Riya and Stephanie. I was with my parents and they were waiting for me. I walked in and they were sitting at the table...hell they were looking so nervous...ha...it was like I was a celebrity they were about to meet, like I was someone special, someone different. Riya, she looks up and sees me. She runs to me and I just hug her, and I stay there just crying so hard you know. Then we're all hugging and we're all crying and we're all trying to keep each other up and Riya whispers in my ear. She says "I knew it Tobias. I knew you'd come back." We move into the new house and it's amazing and life was amazing, but I couldn't get what I'd been through out of my mind. Riya and Stephanie, they'd want to play but I just couldn't...I was just done, fed up. You ever been fed up Silas?"

I think back to the days upon days of working trying to earn money for my parents. "Yeah," I say.

"So, you know. I was just fed up with life. I'd just tell them another day. Can we play Tobias? Another day I'd say. They loved hide and seek so much. One Saturday, once again they asked me to play. I said I couldn't, but they begged and begged more than usual. Stephanie almost had tears in her eyes she was asking me so passionately. My parents said I should play with them, but I just said another day. I promise, ask me any other day and I will play with you. Problem was they didn't have another day. President Crippen came to see me. He told me he needed me to become a spy for some rebels in District 8. I was only twelve. I refused. I told him to go stick his offer where the sun don't shine. So then as I walked home, I heard someone shout "fire in the victors' village". I ran so fast Silas; I ran faster than I'd ever run before. My parents were burnt, Stephanie died from the fumes, but Riya made it out. I could smell her burning flesh as she lay there. I saw her take her last shallow breath and then she went limp in my arms." Tobias pauses for a second and I realise that I am crying. Neriah is as well. Tobias continues though.

"Crippen came back and asked what my answer was now. I said I'd do it. So, I became a spy. I joined the rebels in District 8, and they trusted me straight away. I'd been in the Hunger Games. I must hate the Capitol more than anyone. That's what they thought. They always wondered why the Peacekeepers seemed to know their every move before even they made it, but they never suspected me. How could it be me? The Capitol put me in the Games and killed my family. I was going to be the new Mockingjay and lead them to victory. Eventually Crippen started rigging the reaping based on my information. Only the children of rebels were being reaped now. I felt so bad, I had to talk to someone, so I spoke to Tonisha. I thought she would hate me, but she understood. She told me to do what I had to do to survive. She took me in, became a mother to me when I had no one. She became my family. Eventually I told Crippen that I couldn't do it anymore. Then the quarter quell got announced and I knew he was doing this because of me. Obviously Tonisha and I were reaped. It was my fault, so I said to myself that Tonisha had to survive. I have done terrible things in my life; I deserve to die but Tonisha? She had to go home. But I couldn't even do that."

I don't know what to say so I don't say anything. I just sit there hoping that the mere presence of Neriah and me is somewhat of a comfort to Tobias.

"I'm going to help you," Tobias says. "I can still do one last good thing in my life before I die." He looks at me with determination in his bloodshot eyes. "I will help you make sure Neriah survives this thing. We kill everyone else, kill ourselves and she wins."

"Tobias...I don't know what to say."

"There is nothing to say. We just have to do it."

For the rest of the day we stay there drinking water and eating sap from the hedges. Tobias and I share one bottle while Neriah gets one to herself. When she protests, I tell her she got them, so she deserves more. As darkness falls the anthem plays and we see the faces of the tributes who died today. They are Cienna, the girl from district 1, the boy from district 2, Tonisha and Alanna from District 11.

"Two more careers died?" I say in surprise.

"Maybe Zaydan and Hasnan turned on them," Tobias comments, "although the girl from 13 is still alive."

"Who else?" Neriah asks. "Jose and Monet?"

"Yes, eight of us left. They will be interviewing families and friends now," I say. I think about Abigail and wonder how she is doing. I hope the events of this Games aren't affecting her too badly. She's probably happy that as of now both Neriah and I are still alive. That's what I tell myself anyway. I can't afford to be worrying about how Abigail is feeling right now. Neriah has to be my only focus.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: It's all been leading up to this**

Neriah insists on taking first watch despite my protests so I lie down and go to sleep quickly. Tobias takes second watch so by the time he wakes me I actually don't feel too bad. The maze is rather creepy at night and I find myself jumping at every little noise but as time steadily moves on, I relax more and more. The sun is just threatening to peep over the horizon when I see it. A dense green gas floating quickly towards me from the direction of the outskirts of the arena. The sound of the cannon makes me jump into action. I know enough about the Hunger Games to realise that this gas is not going to be harmless.

"Wake up!" I shout. "We have to move now." I grab Neriah and literally pull her to her feet with one hand.

"Get on my back Neriah," I say as I bend down and toss my backpack to the side.

"What?"

"Do it now!" As she gets on my back the gas envelopes us. I make the mistake of breathing in and immediately I feel an intense burning in my chest. Just as I thought. This gas is poisonous. I start to run and realise Tobias is just ahead of me. The gas is fast though and the added weight of Neriah is not making it any easier.

"Come on Silas come on!" Tobias calls out from ahead of me. Still holding my sword, with two knives still in my waistband, Neriah on my back and the gas burning me so much my vision is starting to get blurry, somehow, I manage to grit my teeth and keep running. All I can see is Tobias' back, so I keep following it through the twisting pathways of the maze. Left, right, left, left, right. Tears are streaming down my face and I'm pretty sure my nose is bleeding again but I keep going. I have to. Then suddenly my legs give out and I fall forward. Neriah is thrown ahead of me, whimpering in pain.

No.

I turn back quickly and realise we have reached the field of the cornucopia. The gas has stopped at the edge of the maze. Yes. We made it. It's not coming any closer. I look around and the previous relief I felt quickly turns into foreboding. There are seven of us here, all lying in a ragged semi-circle. Tobias, Neriah, Hasnan, Zaydan, Jose and Monet who is right next to me. We lock eyes at the same time and then we both look at my sword which is lying between us.

We both go for it at the same, but my reach is longer, so I get to it first. This doesn't stop Monet though as she bounds on me like an animal and bites into my hand. I grunt and drop the sword as we grapple on the ground. She pushes me away, so I take the opportunity to get up. She also stands up, the sword still between us. I realise she won't allow me to pick it up so if I can't have it, she won't either. I kick it as hard as I can, so it skids along the grass. I briefly see that the other tributes are fighting as well. I don't see Neriah. I hope she is okay.

I don't really have time to think about it though because Monet as pulled out a knife and is coming towards me, a sick smile on her face. I pull out my own knife and slice at her. She uses her free hand to direct my attack to the side and then takes a step forward and stabs me in the buttocks. I shout in pain. She pulls the knife out and I take the opportunity to attack but she catches my wrist and then stabs with her own knife but with my free hand I catch her wrist. Fortunately, I am stronger. I twist her arm and push her away. She stumbles back but then comes running and jump kicks me in the chest. I fall back onto my butt grunting as my wound hits the ground. Monet lands on her side but quickly jumps up and throws a knife. I scuttle back and it pierces the ground an inch from my crotch. That was close.

I throw my knife, but she twists around to dodge it. I pick up the knife lodged in the ground in front of me just as Monet pulls out three more knives from somewhere on her person. I quickly stand up just as she starts to throw. I spin around hoping they don't hit me and cover my face with my arm just in case. The first two miss and the third hits my arm with the hilt. If my arm hadn't been there it would have turned enough to pierce my face with the blade. I throw the knife I am holding. It's a perfect throw. Surprised at how I performed under pressure I watch as Monet plucks it out of the air and throws it back. It buries itself right into the partly healed wound on my left shoulder. The pain sends shockwaves through my whole body. I pull the knife out just in time to parry a slice from Monet who is holding yet another knife.

I back up as she swipes twice at me and I throw the knife, but she dodges to the side. I take out the last of my knives and attack but Monet side steps me with ease. Using Cienna's trick I punch her in the face with my free hand as hard as I can, trying my best to ignore the pain it causes in my shoulder. She stumbles back surprised. I press my advantage and push the knife forward into her stomach. Monet coughs up blood. I pull the knife out and then jam it into her chest before quickly pulling it out. She falls to the ground. I just killed a thirteen-year-old girl. I stare at the body, unable to process my feelings when two cannons sound. Someone else must have been killed at the same time.

"You know, I was really hoping Monet would kill you, so I didn't have to."

I turn around slowly, struggling to process what I just heard. Sure enough, it's Tobias standing there, his crossbow pointed at my heart.

"Tobias...what are you doing?"

"I'm sorry Silas. I really don't want to do this," he says. I have been with Tobias for quite a while now so I know what he looks like when he is about to pull the trigger. Before he does, I duck and the bolt flies over my head. Tobias curses as I charge and tackle him to the ground. He lets go of his crossbow and tries to push me off, but I punch him in the face. Before I can stab him with my already bloody knife, he digs his hand into my shoulder wound making me scream. My vision briefly blurs. Tobias jabs me in my already broken nose, and I fall to the side. The pain is excruciating. Somehow, I don't have my knife anymore, so I scramble to my feet and take a few steps back wiping the tears and blood from my face. I face Tobias, both of us unharmed but ready to kill.

"What happened to you helping me keep Neriah safe?" I shout at him.

"I said what I thought would help me survive," he says, "You were just naive enough to fall for it."

"And your little sob story about your family? Was that a lie as well?"

"No. That was true. All of it." He charges and I am there to meet him. I kick at his leg, but he jumps over it and turns. I duck under his punch and jab his stomach but when I go for his face, he gets me in my stomach. I go for his face again and this time I clip his cheek, but he grabs my arm and punches my elbow joint. I grunt and yank my arm away so hard it makes me stumble. He takes a step, jumps up and hits me once again in the nose. The next thing I know I am on the floor with Tobias standing over me holding my own sword. Did I momentarily pass out from the pain?

I push myself back and my hand hits something hard. It's the crossbow. I pick it up. A few bolts can be kept at the bottom of the crossbow and luckily there are two there. I quickly load it and point the crossbow at Tobias. He had been marching forward but now he stops.

"Woah, Silas. Easy."

"Shut up," I growl. I hold my breath and pull the trigger.

I watch in despair as the bolt veers off to the right. Tobias laughs.

"Guess your beginners' luck has run out," he sneers.

I scramble to reload the crossbow and I do but it's too late. Tobias is standing right there with the sword held high, poised to strike down at me. But then he falls to his knees. I shuffle to the side as he falls face first into the ground and notice the knife in his back. I look up and see Neriah limping towards me. The cannon sounds and I take a deep breath before standing up. I pull Neriah into a hug.

"Did I... did I kill him?" She asks, her voice shaking.

"Yes, you saved my life. Thank you."

"Look."

I pull away and look behind me to where she is pointing. I see Zaydan sitting down in front of the cornucopia holding a sword. It seems he just killed Jose. That's when I realise, we are the only ones left. Tobias, Monet, Hasnan and Jose are all dead. Only Zaydan and then I are between Neriah and victory.

"Stay here," I say to her, "I'll handle this."

I go to walk away but Neriah keeps holding onto my hand.

"I don't want you to die Silas," she whispers. As I look at her, I realise I have nothing I can say. I just pry her fingers away from mine and turn my back. I take my sword out of Tobias' still warm fingers and make my way over to the cornucopia, stopping a few metres away from where Zaydan is sitting. Zaydan looks over at me.

"I didn't want it to come to this...to us two." All pretence of us being rivals for the audience has gone. "I was...in my own way...trying to make up for killing your brother. Teaching you how to use a sword, protecting you at the bloodbath. What happened then by the way?"

"My stylist drugged me."

"Oh." Zaydan stands up and turns to face me.

"Good fight Silas."

He is pretty beat up, but he stands tall and looks confident. He was already a great fighter back in the Ninety-fourth Hunger Games but now I can only imagine how good he is. My nose throbs, my left shoulder stings, my ribs ache and my right buttock burns. I am sure that I will die in this fight. I just need to take Zaydan with me so Neriah can survive. I raise my sword and hold it across my body.

"You too," I say. Zaydan nods and then his mouth breaks into a smirk.

"I must admit, I do like a good sword fight." He charges, his smirk turning into a snarl. Everyone else is dead. I just have to win this fight!

Our swords clash. Once, twice, three times. I back away trying to make sure I don't slip up. Zaydan spins his sword around stylishly before swinging at me. I parry and move to the side, but he follows me. He spins around again hitting me in the stomach with his hilt and then when I bend down from the pain, hits me in the face. My vision blurs as my nose, which must have multiple breaks by now, fills my body with pain. I fall back and roll but get straight back to my feet and charge. Zaydan blocks as I run past him, stop then turn to attack again but he dodges my next three swings with ease.

I continue to press him, and our swords clash again and again. He moves fast around me so that I have to keep switching the way I'm facing. Dizziness threatens to push me over, but I widen my stance and gulp down some air. Our swords grate against each other as I flick it towards his face but just as my blade catches just below his eye, he backs up putting a couple of metres distance between us. I am struggling to breathe. It feels like the air is heavy and doesn't want to go down my throat. I could just lie down now but I can't. I have to fight on. For Neriah. Zaydan charges and I back up parrying one swing then ducking under the next one. He spins around and gets behind me stopping my retreat and before I can turn to face him his blade slices the outside of my right arm.

I moan in pain but don't dare drop my guard as I have to move out the way of another swing. We trade more blows, trying and failing to get through the others' defence until our blades lock and Zaydan presses down on me. My arms shake with the pressure of keeping his sword at bay. I move to the left, so he stumbles forward, move behind him then slice him down the back. Zaydan grunts but doesn't stop. He turns immediately. I raise my sword to parry the blow but there is too much force behind it and my sword is sent spinning through the air. I back up but there is nothing I can do. Zaydan stabs forward. I would be dead if it wasn't for Neriah who jumps onto Zaydan's back. Zaydan growls in annoyance and turns around trying to get to her.

"Neriah! Get away!" I shout as I run up and punch Zaydan as hard as I can. With the weight of Neriah on his back he falls, and I take the opportunity to wrestle the sword out of his hand. Neriah let's go as Zaydan is falling and limps away as fast as she can. I look down at Zaydan, but he is already on his feet and he lunges at me before I even have time to swing the sword. He moves behind me, wraps his arms around my neck in a choke hold and squeezes. Immediately my air supply is cut off and my throat feels like it will buckle under the pressure at any moment. I try to swing my sword around to hit him but it's too big and unwieldy. Then I catch a glimpse of Neriah.

It's her. It's all about her. Nothing else matters.

So, I stab the sword through my own stomach and push it far enough to impale Zaydan as well. Zaydan's choke hold loosens allowing me to cough. Blood spills out my mouth onto the ground. I slowly walk forward and then pull the sword out. My body doesn't want to work but I need it to. Zaydan is not dead yet. He falls to his knees and I swing with all my might. The blade slices clean through his neck causing his head to hit the floor a moment before the rest of his body does. The cannon sounds. I did it. I won. I fall down and, in a moment, Neriah is there next to me kneeling down, my head on her lap as I lie there. Something wet hits my face and I realise it is Neriah's tears. I raise a hand and wipe her cheeks leaving a smear blood on them.

"Sorry," I utter, "I think I made it worse."

Neriah laughs through her tears and takes my hand.

"Silas, I don't want you to die," she manages to splutter out, tears and snot running down her face, "You deserve to live...you deserve longer..."

"Shhh. Listen to me Neriah," I say as I look her in the eyes, "It's not about how long you live. It's about what you do with the amount of time you have."

I smile. "You have at least a little bit longer. Make use of it. Live your life to the ful..."

I don't get to finish what I am saying however as I am interrupted by the crossbow bolt slamming into Neriah's chest.

It takes me a second to process what just happened. The cannon sounds. No. They must have made a mistake. Neriah is still alive. She has to be. I push myself into a sitting position and look at her. Blood is spreading out from the wound, but her eyes are still open. That means she's alive. I look up to the sky, I have to tell the Gamemakers that they made a mistake. "She's still alive." I say. "Look. Neriah." I poke her arm. She doesn't move.

"Neriah you can get up now it's okay. I'll protect you Neriah, I'll protect you. I promise I won't let you die. Neriah? I told you, I will protect you." Why won't she get up?

"She's dead Silas."

I look over at the person who spoke. It's Tobias.

"Tobias, Neriah is hurt. We have to help her."

"She's dead. I killed her and now I'm going to kill you too."

"No... wait...you were dead."

"You really think one knife to the back could kill me?"

"But...the cannon."

"I guess you can fight with a sword, but you can't count very well."

"You killed Neriah?"

"Yes, I did. The Hunger Games are barbaric by nature Silas. To win, you can't be a good person or even have an honourable goal. You have to lie, steal, manipulate and kill your way to victory and that's what I've done."

"You killed her!" I shout.

"Goodbye Silas. I am going to win." Tobias points his crossbow at me.

"No one wins the Games." I whisper.

I throw my sword at him and then charge. The sword misses but by the time he looks back at me I am on him. We both fall to the ground but I am on top so I use the advantage to wrap my fingers around his throat and squeeze as hard as I can.

"You killed her. I kill you." I growl as I continue to squeeze not allowing any of Tobias' efforts to get free bother me. I look directly into his eyes as I suffocate him. I see the pleading look in them. But I don't care. When the cannon finally sounds, I am disappointed he died so quickly. I wanted him to suffer more.

"Ladies and gentlemen." Comes the voice of the announcer, "I am pleased to present to you the victor of the One-Hundredth Hunger Games. I give you, from District 6 - Silas Markham!"

I am alive and Neriah is dead. I failed.

**A/N: Thank you for reading and reviews are greatly appreciated.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: The long awaited final chapter. Wasn't sure if I was going to post it but here it is. Enjoy!**

I shout. That is my first reaction to waking up in a doorless, windowless room, only illuminated by a yellow glow coming from the ceiling. I try to get up but there is a band around my waist restraining me to the bed and a needle in my right arm, attached to a tube that leads into a hole in the wall behind me. I start to thrash around. The tubes are ripped out of my arm sending a small shockwave of pain through my body, but I don't stop. I swing my arms and legs around, trying to break free, but the strap around my waist doesn't budge. After a few more seconds, a portion of the wall opposite me slides open and three people rush in. Two hold me down as one slides a needle into my arm. I feel a sharp prick and then nothing.

When I wake again, I am on the same bed in the same room with the tubes back in my arm. This time however, both my legs and arms are strapped to the bed as well as my waist. I don't even bother to struggle. All I do is cry. Neriah was the sweetest and friendliest girl anyone could ever hope to meet yet she is dead because I failed to save her. Haymitch said no one wins the Hunger Games but I was hoping Neriah could break that trend. But instead, all that is left is me. A broken mess. A failure.

I don't know how long I cry for but eventually the tears do dry up and not long after, the wall slides open again to reveal an Avox carrying a tray. Without a word he places the tray on my thighs, carefully undoes the straps holding my arms then presses a button that raises me into a sitting position. Normally I would give at least a nod of gratitude but right now all I can do is glumly look down at the tray. A bowl of broth, some applesauce and a glass of water. Great. I don't even notice the Avox leave. One minute he is there the next he is gone. All there is now is me and the food. It should be Neriah sitting here with food on her lap. Not me. I toss the tray to the side sending the three liquids flying everywhere. The tray and bowls clatter to the floor. Good. I feel something cold in my arm coming from the tubes and then I am once again unconscious. For a while I am in and out of consciousness although I don't know how long exactly. I do notice that they cleaned up the mess I made and also strapped my arms again. I don't blame them, but I also don't care. I don't care about anything anymore.

I briefly think about Abi but then cast her out of my mind. Because of me her little sister is dead. Our relationship is sure to be over. I wonder if my parents are still alive and if they are, do they even know what is going on. If they do, they will probably be happy I am still alive purely because now I can keep them sheltered and fed while they continue getting high off morphling. What am I going to do now? There is no point in me living any longer. Maybe I should have taken advantage of the tray somehow. It was pretty hard.

The next time I wake up I am no longer strapped to the bed and the tubes are not attached to my arm. Slowly I get up and as soon as I look down at my body I am blown away. You would never guess by looking at me that I had just been through a fight to the death. My skin is the smoothest it's ever been. Not only are the scars from the arena completely gone but even the various scars from scrapes and cuts I have gathered during my childhood have vanished. My nose is as good as new. I know for a fact that must have been hard to do because by the end of the Games it was extremely wonky.

On the edge of the bed is an outfit identical to what I wore in the arena. I dress quickly and then the wall slides open. I walk out and find myself in a large hall. That's where I see them. Frilla and Sussal. I do not consciously decide to run but that's what I do anyway. Frilla wraps her arms around me and I immediately bury my face into her neck.

"I failed," I whisper, my voice croaky, "I lost her."

"I'm so sorry Silas," Frilla says, her voice wavering.

After a while I pull away and immediately Sussal is there. I don't particularly want to hug her, but I let it go on for a few seconds.

"You need to go with Sussal. She has to get you ready," Frilla tells me.

"I want to stay with you," I say. Frilla is the only one in the whole Capitol who also cared for Neriah. She is the only one here who can even fathom how I am feeling.

"I'll see you later Silas. We'll talk. I promise," she says.

I reluctantly nod and then follow Sussal to the elevator then all the way up to the sixth floor. My prep team come to greet me, but I don't pay them much mind. I do not need to be nice anymore. We all sit down for a proper meal, but I don't really feel like eating. Sussal tries to encourage me but I refuse to touch my plate. After that, Sussal disappears off somewhere and the prep team do their thing and prep me. The whole time they talk about their favourite moments from the Games, but I don't listen. Sussal comes back with a nice suit and I put it on.

"You look really handsome," she says with a flirty smile. I do not smile back.

"What happened to Korietta?" I ask. Sussal's smile disappears.

"No need for you to worry about that."

I don't bother to press her. She takes me back downstairs and eventually I find myself below the stage. From here I will rise up and then once again I will be on camera broadcasted to the whole of Panem. I can hear the crowd already. I am not looking forward to this. Frilla comes up from the side dressed in a large dress. For average Capitol standards it's not bad.

"Hey," she says. When I don't greet her back, she continues to speak. "You speaking about Korietta drugging you was aired live. It became a massive controversy with even Capitol citizens protesting. There was a riot in District 6."

"What?"

"Forty-six people were killed." Before I can get my very next question out Frilla answers it. "Abigail and your parents are fine, I think. They were shown during the final eight interviews."

I sigh in relief.

"Korietta has been executed."

"Good. She deserved it."

"We will talk more on the train back. Be yourself out there but don't mention the riots because that will get us both in trouble. Good luck."

Frilla then leaves to take her place and following her lead I take mine.

The anthem sounds and I hear Augustus greeting the crowd. First my prep team, then Frilla and finally Sussal are all introduced to thunderous applause. Especially Frilla, who it seems has become quite famous for being a Gamemaker to Head Gamemaker to Escort to Escort/Mentor. Finally, I feel the metal plate I am standing on start to raise me up and then I am on the stage looking out at the crowd giving me a standing ovation. It feels horrible. I take a seat next to Augustus on an ornate chair and eventually the applause dies down.

The movie starts.

First it focuses on the reaping, showing me volunteer, then the chariot rides, training and then surprisingly they show my launch room. They have footage of Korietta drugging me. They then show the bloodbath in detail, not just me but every single death. Fifteen were killed in the bloodbath including, partly because I was drugged, Bethany. They then show the career alliance form as well as my antics afterwards. On day two Monet started hunting other tributes while Haymitch had a run in with mutts that he narrowly escaped from with his life. They continue, splitting the time between me and Neriah until finally I am talking to Haymitch. They unsurprisingly cut a lot of that conversation out, but they do show the following fight in complete and brutal detail. From then on, they pretty much show Neriah, Tobias, Tonisha and I all the time, only sometimes showing the odd death elsewhere. The more I watch, the worse I feel, but I have to stay. Every time there is a close up of Neriah's innocent face I almost turn away, but I force myself to keep my eyes on the screen.

Not long left.

They show Jose create his bombs, the smart bastard, and him placing them all around the arena. Two times I was a couple of centimetres away from setting one off. Two times I was a couple centimetres away from death. Neriah sat down at one point with one between her legs. At that point, the whole crowd lets out a gasp. Even my heart skips a beat watching it. The more I watch the more I realise we were so close to death so many times and we didn't even know it. Had we turned left instead of right we would have been attacked by a mutt or had we kept going instead of stopping we would have fallen into a trap. It makes me nervous even though I have already lived through it. Finally, we get to the final battle and its then that I see my mistake.

Zaydan killed Jose at the same time that Neriah stabbed Tobias in the back. The canon I heard was for Jose but of course I didn't have time to count how many dead bodies were around and how many canons had sounded. But then again wasn't that my job. I was protecting Neriah and that meant I had to be aware of everything. I wasn't and therefore she died. No matter how I look at it, it always comes down to the same thing. I failed. After it's done the Anthem plays and President Crippen comes on stage followed by a little girl holding a cushion with a crown on top. He takes the crown and places it on my head. His smile doesn't reach his eyes.

The rest of the night I spend at the Victory Banquet in the president's mansion until I finally go to sleep. I am up early the next morning though, prepped and then before I know it, I am back on stage for the final interview, sitting across from Augustus.

Augustus makes a few jokes before turning to me.

"So, Silas, how are you feeling hmm?"

"To be honest Augustus I feel horrible."

Augustus nods solemnly and there are sounds of sympathy from the crowd. I realise this is all part of the Games still and I have to put on a good show but at the same time I have things to say and it's not hard for me to say them.

"I went into that arena with only one goal. To make sure Neriah survived. I failed. She should be sitting here now, not me."

"I sympathise Silas I really do. But I have to say, it was a thrilling ride." Augustus turns to the audience. "Wasn't its folks. Wasn't it thrilling hmm?" The crowd cheers. I just grit my teeth. I just need to get through this. He questions me about being drugged, my feelings for Korietta and Lachlan and Lemara. I try to be respectful but my hate for them comes through. He then asks more about Neriah. I expect myself to breakdown, but I don't. I don't feel anything at all. Finally, the interview is finished. I go back to my room but realise there is nothing to pack. I get on the train with nothing. At least before I had Neriah. Frilla is accompanying me back to District 6. Sussal has to stay in the Capitol and honestly, I am happy she is not here. As the train starts to move, the two of us settle down to eat.

"I am so proud of you Silas," Frilla says after a while.

"For what?" I reply harshly, "letting Neriah die?"

"I know the feelings are too raw for you to understand these words completely now, but you did the best that you could. We both did. There is nothing I would have done differently in your place."

"Then you would have failed to keep her alive as well," I snap. I stand up and storm off to my room. I have had enough of everything. I stay in my room right until we're pulling into the train station of District 6. Frilla comes to get me and wordlessly we wait at the door. The train station will be full of cameras, but I don't care anymore. All I want to do is go home and curl up in my bed and not have to leave ever. But I can't. Tonight, there will be a feast to celebrate my return and only once that is finished will the cameras finally leave. The doors of the train open and I am greeted by a large crowd cheering. I don't deserve this.

Despite myself I scan the crowd looking at each face trying to find her and eventually I do. Abigail is being led towards the front of the crowd by Peacekeepers. They probably want us to have an emotional greeting for the story. I walk down the steps of the train slowly but my whole body is telling me to turn around and go straight back into the comfort of the train. Abigail breaks away from the crowd and immediately hugs me. I stiffen at the touch. How can she even be this close to me?

"I'm sorry Abi. I am so sorry," I whisper. Before she can say anything, I break away from her and direct a pointed look at Frilla. She gets the idea and quickly moves me on to my parents.

They both rush towards me. My Dad reaches me first and wraps his arms around me.

"Silas, I... I love you Silas." I pull back and look him in the eyes.

"You're sober."

"Yes, we both are. For you."

My Mum then pulls me into a hug and cries into my shoulder. I am happy to see them but as I am holding my mother, I catch a glimpse of Neriah's parents. I quickly turn away.

The rest of the evening is a bit of a blur. Frilla leads me and my parents to our new house and the cameras record as we take a tour and aw and aah in every room. Then it's time for the feast where everyone in the whole District will have a full meal. For some, it will be the first and last time in their lives that they won't feel hunger. The whole evening, I sit with the Mayor and eat and socialise and pretend I am happy when all I can think about is Neriah's face after she had died. It's funny, I don't really remember it happening in the arena. When I see it in my mind, I see it from a third person point of view like I saw it during the re-watch of the Games. Frilla told me that it looked like I went into a temporary state of shock, but it seems I broke out of it when I attacked Tobias. She's probably right because I remember that clearly. I remember the way his lips turned slightly blue and his eyes bulged out from his head. The memory almost brings a smile to my lips. Almost.

The next morning, I find myself at the train station once again but this time it's not me who will be doing the travelling. Frilla smiles at me.

"It's been a pleasure Silas," she says.

"Thank you Frilla. For everything," I say as I hug her. "I am sorry I got angry at you yesterday."

"It's okay Silas. I wish I could stay longer to make sure you are okay."

"I'll be fine," I lie, "we will see each other in like six months anyway."

Frilla shakes her head. "You won't be fine if you keep acting the way you are."

"What do you mean?"

"Abigail needs you Silas, and you need her."

"How can I face her when I let Neriah die. If I were in her situation, I wouldn't be able to look at me."

"I don't know her but from what I can see, she loves you and she doesn't want to lose you."

"She was always fine with losing me. It was Neriah she didn't want to lose."

Frilla smiles sadly. "I will see you soon Silas." She gives me a final kiss on the cheek and then she goes on the train. I watch until it is out of view and then slowly make my way through the District. As I walk, everyone I pass offers me congratulations or sympathies or just a wave hello. I respond to everyone with a fake smile and a bland "thank you". Is this what my life is going to be like from now on? I don't really pay attention to where I am going but pretty soon, I find myself on the road behind the train station. While usually the road is lined with people as young as eight to as old as eighty begging for any scraps that can be shared with them, today, because of the feast yesterday celebrating my return, there is no one.

All the beggars are taking a break, as, for what will be the first time in years for many and the first in their lives for a few, their bellies are full. The road is dirty and somehow darker than the rest of the District as if the sunlight purposely misses it. I stop as all these memories come flooding into my brain. Me begging for food alongside all the other poorest citizens of District 6. All the abuse I used to receive from the slightly better off citizens, the Peacekeepers and even the other beggars. It was tough for a kid to go through; I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Still though, it almost feels like it didn't happen to me. It was another lifetime, another person. I suppose in a metaphorical sense I am a vastly different person now compared to who I was before the Games. Did I even make the right decision all those weeks ago, when I volunteered to be in the Games? I had thought it was a good idea at the time and I can't really blame myself.

I hated my parents, my job, my house, in fact I pretty much hated everything about my life except for Abigail. She had been the one light in the darkness that I was living in. I knew how much Neriah meant to her, so I saw an opportunity. Do something for Abigail, a sort of declaration of love while putting myself out of my misery. It had seemed to be a perfect plan. Of course, I had convinced myself it was a selfless act at first but during the Games I soon realised it was completely and utterly selfish. I was okay with that though. But now, Neriah is dead, which would have happened had I not volunteered, I am back to the misery of life, except it's so much worse now, and I can never look Abigail in the eyes again.

Abigail.

Even while I was in the Games, she was still doing things for me. She took my parents to her house and locked them inside, so they had no access to morphling. By the time I came back they were completely drug free. Of course, they have to be careful of relapse but as of now they are both clean. Really, I should thank her but, how can I? How can I talk to her after letting her sister die?

I wasn't really paying attention to where I was walking but now, I find myself standing in front of my old home. It looks even more shitty now than it did when I lived here. In the past, four of us lived in two rooms but in my new house there are eleven rooms. It's only me and my parents, what are we going to do with all that space?

After some hesitation I decide to go inside my old home. It won't hurt to see it one more time. Anyway, maybe the movers missed some things. The house is pretty bare. Only the basic furniture is still there. The sofa, the food pot by the fire, the rugs that we used to sleep on, the pot we used to defecate in. To think that now we have two bathrooms, one upstairs and one downstairs. It doesn't feel real. There is a thin layer of grime on everything and the sofa has multiple stains from when my parents have thrown up on it and just left it to dry. The smell in the house is strong. Strong and sickly. These are things I didn't even notice when I was living here, I was just so used to them but now they are the only things I can focus on. I used to live in horrible conditions and now I don't. But I would rather live in these conditions for the rest of my life and be with Abigail than be in the situation I am in now.

It is in this moment I realise that volunteering for the Hunger Games was a mistake. I threw away everything I had, the good and the bad. Sure, I have come out on the other side with a better quality of life materially, but I feel like I've lost what was really important to me. It's time to leave. I take one final look at my old home but before I turn to leave for good something catches my eye. A glint underneath the sofa. The movers did miss something after all. I bend down and pick it up. As soon as I see it, I have an abundance of emotions rush through me.

It's an injection needle full of morphling.

This thing has brought me so much pain throughout the years. My brother dying was the worst thing that happened to me. Still, even after going through my own Games and failing to save Neriah the pain I feel now is comparable, but not worse than how I felt when my brother died. I suppose I never actually processed the grief because my parents quickly started taking morphling and all responsibility fell to me. They handled the situation so poorly and yet they survived. They enjoyed the last few years much more than me. Maybe they weren't so stupid after all. They knew they had another son who could work. They knew they would be taken care of and they knew morphling would make them happy. And it does make you happy.

When I think back to how I felt when Korietta injected me before the Games it gives me a fuzzy feeling inside. Like I am longing for that feeling again. I hate to admit it but having that morphling in my system was the best I have felt since before my brother's death. And right now, I feel the worse I have ever felt since my brother's death. I have lost what I cared about once again but this time it's different. I have nothing to live for now. Before, I had to keep my wits about me so I could beg and work so I could earn enough money for me and my parents to survive. Now though, I will be getting money every month for the rest of my life. More than I know what to do with. There is nothing for me to live for anymore. Maybe a way to stop my pain isn't so bad. Maybe it's the only way I can survive now.

I look closer at the needle and take a deep breath. It looks like the right dosage to give me a good high for a few hours. Since I'm here no one would find me so I can just relax on the sofa like my parents used to do. What's the saying? Like father, like son. Well let's hope I don't overdose like my father did on reaping day. I should be okay though. My body is stronger than his. I push the needle slowly into my arm. Is this the right decision? Well, who cares anymore? Just as I am about to press down on the syringe the door to the house swings open.

Immediately I drop the needle. It hits the floor and rolls back under the sofa. I look towards the door and see Abigail standing there. I don't move. I just stand there staring at her. She looks beautiful. She looks sad.

"Hi," she says as she walks into the house, crinkling her nose at the smell. All of a sudden, my mouth is very dry.

"You've been avoiding me," Abigail says, her voice cracking a little.

Abigail stops right in front of me. I look deep in her eyes. They're watering.

Finally, I find my voice. "I'm sorry," I say, "I couldn't save her."

"You tried your best."

"No!" I shout before walking off to the side. I feel myself shaking. My fists are clenched. I can't even look at her. With my back to her I let out a breath, struggling to stop myself from crying. I want to speak to her. I want to feel her. But I can't. I let her sister die. I failed.

Abigail puts a hand on my shoulder and gently guides me to turn around and face her.

"Silas, I watched the Games. Every last moment of it. I saw what you went through. I saw how hard you tried to protect her. It wasn't your fault that she died."

"It was. I should have noticed the cannons."

"Fine. It was your fault. It doesn't matter because I don't blame you. So, you shouldn't either. Neriah thought so highly of you. She died knowing that you were there for her and that would have meant the world to her."

All I can think about is how I promised this girl I would protect her sister, I failed and now she is the one consoling me. What did I do to deserve her? Instead of mourning herself she is trying to help me. Once again, I come to the realisation that I have been selfish. I pull Abigail into a hug.

"I'm sorry. I should have been spending this time with you, supporting you like you always support me."

"I love you Silas. We can work through this together. I'm not letting you push me away."

"I love you too. I will never act like this again."

We stay there for a while before I speak again.

"Let's get out of here. The smell is killing me."

Abigail does a small chuckle. "Agreed." She smiles at me and for the first time since I was in the arena with Neriah I smile back. Not a fake smile like I did for the cameras after the Games but a real, genuine smile. As we walk out hand in hand, I take one last look at the sofa, knowing what is underneath. I can't believe I was that close to drugging myself. Drugs are never the way. Life is going to be hard, I know, but with Abigail by my side I know we can survive. After all, despite my best efforts to convince myself otherwise, I really do have something to live for.

**A/N: Thank you for reading. The sequel is coming soon.**


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